A Leap of Faith
by The Rose Duelist
Summary: With only three days until the wedding, Raine rushes to finish preparations. However, when a certain angel arrives in Iselia, things begin to get complicated.
1. Three Days Before

**A/N:** Hellllo everyone! I'm back here in ToS land after finishing up my latest fic for Xenoblade Chronicles ( _The Restoration_ ). For those of you waiting for more _Darkness Falls_ , not to worry, I'll start updating it shortly. Before I dive into that long story, I had a thought for a short fic to get me back into the swing of things. And it's all about *Kraine*! This one is for you missemixox and Shinenite! There are only going to be four chapters here, so enjoy!

* * *

Naturally an early riser, Raine found it difficult to pull herself out of bed this morning. The consecutive late nights — later than she was used to anyway — were wearing her down, but she knew the end was in sight. Just three days left until the big event. Then she could sleep for an entire day, and return to work the next. At least, that's what she envisioned.

As she stepped into the shower, the half elven woman grimaced. One day wasn't ideal. If she could, she would take two: one for rest and the other for relaxation, ideally catching up on the latest archaeological study done by the Tethe'allan historical society, which, she could argue, was work related. _One is better than nothing_.

Reality permitting.

Besides, if the woman were unable to secure an extra day for rest, she only had herself to blame for her fatigue. When Colette had shared her concerns in her 'I don't want to burden you' way, the older woman scoffed and said she would happily help. Of course, Colette had tried to dissuade her former teach vehmently, concerned for her wellbeing (the half elven woman was rather busy these days), but it was useless. In this case, Raine had the opportunity to give the ex-Chosen a celebration she deserved.

That was six months ago.

After adorning herself in an orange and white dress with three quarter length sleeves that went just past her knees, Raine headed for Dirk's home. An hour later, she was sitting on the patio, a cup of tea in hand, going through a checklist of what was left to do in preparation for Colette and Lloyd's wedding. It was a beautiful summer day: the sun shone high in the sky and a slight breeze tickled the back of her neck. It was perfect: not too hot, not too cold. The weather was one of the things Raine missed about Iselia. Palmacosta was always windy, being by the ocean. This trip was a nice vacation from that.

Putting down her tea, the woman scanned the to-do list and ticked off a few items:

 _Final approval of catering menu_

 _Final dress fitting for Bride_

 _Ready home for bachelorette party_

 _Confirm and purchase wedding favors_

 _Confirm photographer_

Each tick felt like a small win, but even as she did so, she became increasingly aware of the number of unticked boxes left: fourteen in total. How many tasks could she plausibly accomplish by the end of the day? The half elf wagered seven, and then she could leave the rest for the next morning before the bachelorette party. It was ambitious, but the woman had faced larger obstacles. As long as she was not distracted, she would be able to achieve this goal.

Therefore, she had to focus on the task at hand: finalizing the seating chart.

Turning her head to the right, Raine sighed. Neither Colette nor Lloyd was paying attention. She'd asked them to look over the large diagram and see if there were any changes they wished to make. However, they were more interested in gazing into each other's eyes and speaking in gentle tones.

A soft smile crept onto the older woman's lips. After the World Regeneration, Lloyd had finally realized his feelings for the Chosen and shared them with her. Colette reciprocated, which wasn't much of a shock to anyone other than Lloyd. Together, they had traveled the world collecting the remaining exspheres and at the end of the year-long journey, Lloyd had proposed. This was unsurprising to Raine as marriage was the natural progression of their relationship. Although, to be fair, she hadn't expected it to be so soon.

And as the days neared to their nuptials, the two became increasingly absorbed in one another.

Once again, unsurprising. But they would have time for all that on their honeymoon.

"Colette. Lloyd."

They jumped, startled.

"Yes, Professor?"

Even after two years of not tutoring them, they had not dropped the moniker.

"I need you two to confirm the seating chart."

There would be forty guests at the wedding, including the wedding party, and Raine wanted to assure that there would be no quarrels between the guests. Granted, that was impossible in such a situation as this. One person or another would always feel slighted if they were not closer to the bride and groom; then there was always the possibility of seating two people next to one another who were far from friends. Nonetheless, Raine would do her best to avoid such situations.

And selfishly, the last thing the woman wanted to do was run interference during the wedding and reception.

 _Let Yuan do that._

He was already in charge of security. This would be right up his alley.

"Well...um...it looks good, Professor." Colette said, studying the illustration.

"Lloyd?"

"I agree with Colette."

Raine sighed.

"And have you two decided on the ring bearer yet?"

"No, not yet." Lloyd grinned, embarrassed.

"Or the flower girl?"

"Um..." The young woman gave the half elf a guilty look.

The older woman pursed her lips. This was going nowhere.

"Alright. Colette, I do need you to tell me whether you like the bridesmaids dresses with or without the bow on the waist."

She hoped the answer was no.

"Yes, I think bows would be so cute!"

 _Damn._

Gazing downward at the checklist, she ticked off _Bridesmaid dress design confirmation._ Now that she had an answer, the half elf could arrange for a final fitting for the bridesmaids. It would have to be tomorrow afternoon, before the Bachelorette Party. She didn't think any of them would want to get up early the following morning after what was to be a night of revelry.

Inwardly, the half elf groaned. Finishing off the checklist and coordinating a bridesmaid fitting all in the same day...she would have to do more work today or get up early tomorrow in order to meet the deadlines.

Colette and Lloyd had resumed their conversation and she frowned. She wasn't going to get any more answers from either of them. Instead, she would make a few executive decisions. Not exactly what she had in mind, but it would cut down on the time it would take to finish the rest of her tasks and possibly allow her to do some of the work she'd set aside for tomorrow.

Jotting down a few notes, Raine heard the front door open.

"Kratos!"

Her head shot up.

 _What?_

She turned around in her chair. Her eyes widened.

In the front doorway stood the angel.

Now this was unexpected.

"What are you doing here?" Lloyd said as he bounded over to his biological father.

"You are getting married, are you not?"

Lloyd flushed. "Uh...yeah."

They continued speaking, but Raine didn't hear them, eyes focused on the Seraphim. It was surreal. He was the last person she expected to see, and yet she knew it was logical that he should be here. Certainly Kratos would not miss his own son's wedding. And yet, in the two years that had passed since the World Regeneration, Raine had not seen the angel once. From her understanding, he had not left Derris-Kharlan since Colette united the two worlds.

But here he was, standing in Dirk's home, his face set in its usual serious expression.

"How did you know?" Lloyd asked.

Colette, who had joined the two, smiled. "I invited him."

Lloyd looked over at her, a wide smile growing on his face. "Really?"

"Yes. You said you wanted him to come. So I asked Yuan if he could help me." She smiled, clasping her hands in front of her. "Remember that day I said I wanted to visit the Mana Tower? I was actually visiting Yuan."

"Thank you, Colette."

From her position, Raine continued to observe Kratos as Lloyd continued the three-way conversation. The angel was dressed in a black jacket, white shirt, and navy pants. With his arms crossed over his chest, he was the epitome of nonchalance.

Suddenly, he turned and saw her. They locked eyes.

The intensity in his gaze jolted her.

 _Stop. It's just Kratos._

Forcing herself to relax, the half elf turned back to the table and grabbed the day's schedule she had written the previous evening. Examining the page, she found the next appointment. Her eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. They needed to go.

Raine stood, gathered her things, and entered the house, clutching the folder of documents and lists to her chest.

"I apologize but as much as I would like to let this reunion continue, Colette, we have an appointment with the florist."

"Oh...right." The blonde sighed.

Lloyd grabbed her hand and smiled; the young woman's face immediately brightened. Raine couldn't help but smile at their eagerness. That was the nature of young love.

She wished it had been that way for her.

As Colette and Lloyd conferred with each other in whispers once more, Raine shifted her gaze from the couple to the angel.

Their eyes met, both impassive. Once again, she was confronted with that fierce stare from his brown eyes.

She could hear Genis' voice in her head. _Awkward..._

It was. Raine wasn't sure what to say, much less how to begin a conversation with Kratos.

This was silly. They had been friends at one point (or at least friendly acquaintances). It wasn't as though they were meeting for the first time.

Though for some reason, it felt like it.

"Did you just get into town?" Raine asked.

"A half an hour ago."

"Well...welcome back."

Now _that_ sounded silly.

"Thank you."

They fell silent once more, waiting for the soon-to-be newlyweds. Finally, Colette and Lloyd turned away from each other.

"Ready?" Raine inquired.

"Yes." Colette smiled at Kratos and Lloyd. "See you later!"

As the two walked out of the house and headed towards town, the half elven woman considered the man's sudden appearance. Though Colette spoke about the coming days in a dreamy voice, her mentor's mind was elsewhere. Lloyd had seemed genuinely surprised to see his father. Why was that? It seemed obvious that Kratos would attend the wedding. So why was his arrival unexpected? Perhaps she was attributing too much meaning to their interaction.

But her instincts nagged: something had happened between the two men. She wondered what exactly.

Inwardly, Raine glowered.

This was a distraction.

* * *

As Raine and Colette left the house, Kratos' eyes followed them. He had not known the half elf would be there. Not that it mattered; he would have met with her eventually, just as he would with the others during his time here. But their short conversation was rather stilted. Succinct. Different from how they used to converse in the past (not that he had ever been much of a talker). This was the result of not visiting for two years, he calculated. It would probably be similar with everyone else, though he never thought of himself as close with the Tethe'allans as he had with Lloyd, Colette, Genis and Raine.

Close, of course, was a relative term.

To him, it meant that he had spent the most time with those four on the Journey of Regeneration. The others, probably half that amount, with the possible exception of Sheena, as she had joined them in the first part of the journey as well.

And thus the amount of time spent in one's company generally made it easier to converse.

Though the angel and Lloyd had spoken every few months during the past year, courtesy of the magitechnology at Yuan's base, he had not seen the ex-Chosen for the two years. And yet she was as warm and welcoming as she had been the first time they met.

On the other hand, Raine was guarded. Did she think he had ulterior motives for appearing other than attending the wedding?

He wouldn't be surprised if she did.

She had observed him with striking eyes. He had forgotten her self-possessed manner: how she always assessed every situation.

"Kratos?"

Lloyd's voice interrupted his thoughts. The Seraphim turned back to his son, who had retained his expression of tentative excitement.

"I'm glad you're here." Lloyd hesitated. "It's not that I didn't want to invite you—"

"Lloyd. I understand."

"Honestly, I wasn't sure you'd want to come. Especially after..."

Kratos shook his head. "Think nothing of it. It's over. In the past."

Lloyd nodded, relieved.

Before the young man could ask another question, a pair of footsteps stomped across the wooden floor of the log cabin. The angel turned his head to see Dirk, dusted with soot, making his way towards father and son.

"Ah. Was wonderin' when you'd arrive," the dwarf said.

"Did you know he was coming to?!" Lloyd said.

"Colette told me. Wanted it to be a surprise."

"Jeez."

Dirk ignored his son's annoyance, furrowing his brow.

"Kratos, I could use some help bringin' in the new load of lumber."

"I can do that!"

"You better go upstairs and write those vows, son. I know you still haven't. And if you don't, Colette's gonna be disappointed."

Embarrassed, Lloyd hung his head and trudged up the stairs to his room.

Dirk crossed his arms over his chest. "He inherited yer stubbornness."

"I prefer to think it was his mother's."

Snorting, the dwarf exited the way he'd entered.

Kratos followed, well aware the dwarf needed no help whatsoever with hauling lumber. Silent, Dirk headed for Anna's grave, the angel stopping next to him.

Yellow poppies and pink tulips had grown over the burial site. A wash of emotions coursed through him, but the angel kept a straight face. The beauty of the flowers gave her grave the feeling of happiness, rather than one of tragedy and regret. Though he still mourned Anna, that wound had begun to heal, thanks to Lloyd, not withstanding what had recently occurred. It comforted him that if Anna were alive, she would be proud of their son.

"He's growin' up." Dirk said flatly.

"Yes."

"Didn't think he'd be gettin' hitched so fast."

"Neither did I."

"But when you know, you know. Am I right?"

Kratos didn't respond, his eyes focused on the gravestone.

"You've gotta lot more experience in this department than I have."

"Doubtful."

"Look...there are certain things I can't really talk with Lloyd about..." Dirk trailed off, putting his hands on his hips and looking downward.

Silence filled the air. Kratos knew the dwarf was asking for help. Raising Lloyd and being unable to give him the knowledge required for the next chapter of his life could only be hard on the dwarf. Though the angel had never said it aloud, he was grateful to Dirk for rescuing and taking care of Lloyd as a child and through his adolescence. He felt Dirk knew anyway. Now, it seemed Kratos could repay the dwarf.

"I understand."

"Good." The dwarf grunted. "But I'd like tah do the toast though at the rehearsal dinner."

"Of course."

Regardless, the last thing Kratos wanted to do was stand up and speak in front of a group of people.

Dirk nodded and went back into the house, sans lumber that was piled only a few feet away.

Kratos stood at the grave, contemplating. Lloyd was no longer a child, almost a man. Soon he'd start a family. Dirk thought that the angel could give their son advice, but the Seraphim knew he was the last person who should be an expert on this topic. What did he know about creating and caring for a family? He had lost his.

And now he was trying to put together the pieces.

 _Anna._

Kratos wished she were here. She would know what to say. She always knew what to say. Her gentle nature had given her the innate ability to see straight into others' hearts and understand their pain. That was what drew him to her in the first place: her amazingly large capacity for empathy. The woman could see the disillusionment and torment he'd suffered and she had welcomed him with open arms.

Though Anna was long gone, eighteen years now, he still missed her. Not in the way he once had. The pain was no longer fresh; he didn't feel the constant heartbreak at every reminder of her. No, it was different now: a scar on his heart that, when touched, emitted a dull pain but no longer set him aflame each day.

Lloyd had said that Kratos needed to forgive himself and let go. And they had argued. Impatient and heated, Lloyd had stormed off.

That was their last conversation a few months ago. At the time, he'd known Lloyd was getting married. In fact, he was the second person Lloyd had confessed the news to (Dirk being the first). After the fight, Kratos wasn't sure if he should attend the wedding. When Colette reached out, at first he'd flatly refused. But in her warm and angelic way, she had convinced him to come.

And now the man was here, hoping to make amends with his son.

He just wasn't entirely sure how to.

* * *

Ten after 23:00. Her eyes glanced over at the tavern's clock and she took a sip of her tea. She was determined to get everything done, even if it took her all night. She wanted Colette and Lloyd to have the best. They deserved it after everything they had been through, individually and together.

Raine sat at a large booth big enough for four, tea cup and tea pot directly to her right and a plate filled with the leftover crumbs of a piece of coffee cake to her left. Scattered across the wooden surface of the tabletop were papers, writing utensils, diagrams and budgets. Everything and anything related to the wedding. Underneath the layers of wedding materials were her students' papers. She needed to do some grading tonight, but there was an ever-growing chance that would not happen.

Pulling the seating drawing to her, Raine cast her eyes over it. She'd dismissed it after her morning meeting with Colette and Lloyd, but there was no more avoiding it. The woman had to give the final version to the vendor tomorrow. As she studied the chart, erasing two names and switching their spots, the light above was momentarily blocked.

Annoyed, the half elf looked up, meeting a pair of sharp brown eyes.

Surprised, she said, "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Neither did I." Kratos stepped to the right to allow the overhead light to shine on the table once more. "What are you doing?"

"At the moment? Seating arrangements. Then placing floral arrangements at both the wedding and reception sites. Then creating a transportation plan from the wedding site to the reception."

He raised his eyebrows.

"I didn't know wedding planning was your forte."

"It isn't. I am simply good at organizing things."

"As I said: Wedding planning is your forte."

He smirked. She narrowed her eyes, and then sighed.

"I suppose I have some sort of...affinity to it."

She scrunched her face together in disgust.

"Unfortunately, wedding planning is taking up too much of my time. I need to grade papers as well."

"Then I won't bother you any longer."

The angel began to turn away when she said, "You're welcome to stay. I could use the distraction. But let me finish this first."

Truthfully, her brain was exhausted. A little break and distraction would do her good. Then she could come back to the preparations with fresh eyes.

Or she might be too tired and head to bed. It was a risk she was willing to take.

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"Tea please."

Kratos took her empty cup and teapot and went to the bar.

Though she turned her face downward, the half elf watched the man from underneath her lashes. Curious. What was he doing here at this hour?

Raine didn't want to admit it, but their morning conversation had bothered her all day. It had been strained and almost uncomfortable. Two years ago, the half elf and angel had parted on amicable terms. Why was it different now? Had two years really made that much of a difference?

Neither of them were completely social creatures. She was an introvert at heart, though in the recent years, being a professor had pushed her limits, so she was able to find herself a little more comfortable in social settings with larger groups of people. On the other hand, she had never seen Kratos display any sort of 'social butterfly' tendencies. In fact, he was quite the opposite. From what she had observed, he was only comfortable around those he knew moderately well, and indifferent to those who he did not.

Regardless, the woman wanted to ask him about his intentions, if in fact there were more than being at Lloyd's wedding. At the moment, she was certain they had to do with Lloyd. All she knew was that her curiosity was getting the better of her. If in fact it had to do with Lloyd, it was not her place to interfere.

Turning her attention back to the seating chart, she gave it a look over one last time. She no longer cared. People would sit where she told them and that was the end of the matter. Just as she marked 'FINALIZED' at the top right hand corner, a cup of tea and teapot appeared on her right.

"Thank you."

It was a kind gesture. Despite his outward gruffness, he was well-mannered. It was very confusing.

He took a seat across from her, placing his mug on the tabletop.

"What brings you here at this hour?" She asked.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Do you ever?"

He looked at her levelly, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

Silence settled between them for a few minutes. She groped for something to say, but her mind had blanked.

Then he said, "Grading papers. I presume you have continued teaching."

She nodded, leaning back into the booth, clutching her tea cup to her chest, savoring the warmth.

"I'm a professor at Palmacosta University."

"University?"

"Yes. They built it a year ago. It's right next to the Academy."

"Convenient."

"The University's Board of Trustees decided archaeology would be one of the first subjects it offered. The Dean reached out to see if I was interested." She allowed herself a smirk. "I'm the head of the department."

"How many students do you have?"

"Three times than I did in Iselia."

"Hopefully they're more like Genis than Lloyd."

He did not smile though there was mirth in his eyes. She too couldn't help from smiling.

"Well, Genis is at the Academy so I can also keep an eye on him."

"Convenient."

Gracefully, she brought the tea cup to her lips and watched him.

"And what have you been up to, Kratos? All I know is that you have spent the past two years on Derris-Kharlan."

"Yuan and I destroyed the remaining exspheres."

"I remember Lloyd mentioning that. It's done?"

"As of last week."

"That's a relief."

He nodded and took a sip of his own tea, his eyes not leaving hers.

"What do you plan to do next?"

"Transfer data and records from Welgaia to Yuan's base."

"That's good. It would be a shame to lose all of that information."

"I disagree."

She cocked her head to the side. Her mind clicked.

"Magitechnology."

He nodded.

"It's not as though Yuan would share any detrimental information with either the Sylvarant or Tethe'allan governments. He was there with you during the Kharlan War." Raine said, putting her tea down.

"It's dangerous to have that information anywhere."

"There are certain ways magitechnology can be used to help people. They cannot be ignored. Surely you agree with that?"

"Yes. There is a way to disseminate and retain that information rather than keep the entirety of it." He said, putting his tea cup down and crossing his arms over his chest.

"But it would be better to educate people about the dangers of magitechnology rather than hide them."

"If you tell them about the dangers, then some will come to believe they can control it. They will try and bring disaster to Aselia once again."

"You're afraid of history repeating itself?"

He raised his eyebrows. "It's not fear. It's logic. That is human nature: to desire more power than one has."

"Is it also not human nature to learn and adapt? If we discard history, how will we ever learn from our mistakes?" She pursed her lips.

"The current story of the Great Kharlan War in history books is enough to teach people."

"Then we must agree to disagree."

"Alright."

Silently, they each picked up their tea and took a sip. Her blood coursed with adrenaline; she hadn't realized how excited she had become during the debate.

Setting aside her tea once more, she asked, "So you plan to return to Derris-Kharlan after Lloyd's wedding?"

"I do."

"I see."

Pause.

"You think I should stay."

"I said no such thing."

"Your tone."

"You haven't seen Lloyd in a long time."

"He and Colette are leaving after the wedding." Kratos shrugged and put his empty mug back onto the table.

"True."

"Then I should return to my duties."

He had always been one for responsibility.

Not that she was any better.

"Hey, Raine. We're closing up." The barman called, pausing his routine of wiping down the countertop before moving onto sweeping the floors.

"Thanks, Ralph." She called and turned back to Kratos. "Shall we?"

He nodded. As the half elf shuffled together her papers, he helped her as well, differentiating between the wedding materials and her students' papers. Once again, she was surprised by his consideration.

 _Stop. It's not as though he had, has, no manners._

Kratos handed the stack to her and she took it with a small 'thank you'. Together, they headed for the exit. He held open the door and she passed under the door frame, feeling the night air against her face. It was still warm; she loved it.

"Will you go home?"

"Yes. I don't think there is anywhere else in town open this late." Raine sighed. It would be easier to work at a coffee shop. Going home meant facing the temptation of sleeping.

"Let me escort you."

She was about to protest, saying she would be fine on her own, but she stopped herself. Raine still had yet to find out why he was here.

"You never did say why you were in the tavern."

"I didn't."

She looked at him unimpressed. He smirked.

"Really."

"Needed to think."

 _About...?_

But she did not pry.

Instead, Raine asked, "Have you and Dirk discussed who is doing what at the wedding?"

"What do you mean?"

"The father of the groom has certain responsibilities."

"Such as?"

"Making a toast at the rehearsal dinner."

"Dirk has said he would like to do that."

"You could make a toast at the wedding."

"I will not be making a speech."

"Are you certain? You may like it. In fact, you may have an _affinity_ to public speaking."

He grunted.

Simultaneously, they stopped just a few feet from Raine's home. Turning to one another, Raine found his dark eyes, though slightly overshadowed by his ruffled hair.

"Thank you for distracting me. It was diverting."

"I only spoke as I thought." She could hear the smirk in his voice. He continued: "Goodnight, Raine."

"Goodnight, Kratos."

She walked up the three steps to the doorway and unlocked the front door. As she stepped inside and closed the door behind her, a smile crawled onto her lips. It had been nice to speak in such a manner. It reminded her of the early days of the Journey of Regeneration, before his betrayal.

Kratos was a complicated, solemn man with a dark sense of humor. She liked that.

"Raine?"

The half elf turned to see Genis trudging out of his bedroom, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"You were out late."

"Last minute preparations for the wedding."

"Mkay. Need any help?"

"No, go back to bed."

"Ok. Don't stay up too late."

He retreated in the direction he'd come, leaving Raine to her thoughts.

Sighing, the half elf looked back down at the stack of papers in her arms. Seating herself onto her couch, the half elf dove head first into one of her student's papers. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

He watched her walk into the house and close the door. Turning away, Kratos headed back to the inn and the cold bed that awaited him. Surprisingly, the angel was tired. The five hour trip from Derris-Kharlan to the Tower of Salvation and finally to Iselia had taken much of his strength, and yet his mind still buzzed. He would not be getting much sleep tonight.

As he padded across the dirt road, the man's thoughts floated back to his conversation with Raine. She was still one for no-nonsense. He had always liked that about her. She wasn't quick to jump to conclusions or make heated demands, but she always saw the bigger picture, picked up on the details, made calculated guesses and gave practical, sometimes provoking, responses. The way her mind worked was distinct and it was not a surprise to him that she had already secured a professorship at the newly founded Palmacosta University. If he recalled correctly, she was only...25? 26? Either way, that was still rather young considering most professors began their careers at the age of 30.

It was impressive.

Kratos had gone to the tavern for a distraction from his nerves regarding Lloyd. And there she was, poking holes, trying to figure out what was bothering him. And the woman had scratched the surface, understanding that there was some sort of connection to Lloyd.

It was annoying how perceptive she could be.

Nonetheless, the angel could have saved himself the trouble of her pressuring by bidding her goodnight at the tavern. However, he enjoyed the conversation, though it wavered between the somber, the amusing, and the challenging. It had been a long time since he'd spoken to anyone outside of Yuan and Lloyd with half a brain, much less one who was a master debater. And Raine offered intellectual stimulation that was still on a different level from those two.

As he reached the door of the inn and stepped inside, he briefly considered telling the half elf about his argument with his son. Perhaps Raine would have some insight on Lloyd's perspective. Or even a solution to the current problem. After all, she did know Lloyd for longer than the angel had.

Shaking his head, Kratos entered his room and shut the door. It had been a long day and he was too tired to think more on these matters. All he needed was rest.

* * *

Excited? Can't wait to find out more? Let me know! Next time, the bachelorette party goes down. :D


	2. Two Days Before

Hello everyone! Ready for day two? We've got lots happening so let's just jump right in.

* * *

"So what sort of games are you planning?" Raine asked as she and Sheena wandered the aisles of the general store. With the bachelorette party only a few hours away, the two women were shopping for last minute items for the evening's festivities. Sheena had already organized food and drinks, but the entertainment had yet to be accounted for. The ninja had already created a list of games that required very little preparation, but she had wanted to find a few things that required more thought. And she wanted to find some extra decorations to dress up Raine's house with. As the only woman in the group with a home in Iselia (and not wanting to bother Colette's father), Raine had volunteered to host, a choice she was already regretting as Sheena pulled pink and purple ribbons from the shelves and dropped them into the cart.

"I thought we could play Truth or Dare." Sheena said as she pulled some pink party hats from the shelf and dropped them into the cart. "But I don't know if Colette will be interested."

"Why would you think that?"

"I'm just afraid she's going to find it boring."

"All Colette wants to do is spend some quality time with her friends. I don't think you can go wrong unless you send everyone off in different directions."

"You're right." Sheena said, contemplating a pink Katz piñata. "I just really want this to go well."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. It will."

"Thanks, Raine."

The half elf nodded, brushing her hair behind her ears.

"What else do we need?"

"Well...there are some party games we could play that are..." Sheena pinked as she trailed off.

Raine raised her eyebrows. "Does this have anything to do with men's genitalia?"

Sheena's cheeks exploded with red. "Um...maybe."

"I think Colette would have the same reaction as you. Perhaps we should stay away from such things."

Though if she and Lloyd were getting married, she would have to get comfortable with the idea of sex fairly soon. If not in the next two days.

"On second thought, one or two more risqué games would be appropriate." Not that the woman really wanted to play any games of the sort. It would be too much of a headache with the young women literally (she imagined lots of squealing).

"What?!" Sheena asked timidly. "Are you sure?"

"My hunnies!"

The half elf looked past her shopping partner to see Zelos at the other end of the aisle.

"Great." Sheena grumbled.

"What are you two doing here?" Zelos asked as he bounded over to them, pushing his own cart filled with assorted beers.

"Shopping for Colette's bachelorette party."

"I'm doing the same! Except for Lloyd's. Maybe we can shop together."

"No thanks."

"Ah, come on! It could be fun. You know, I could help you plan for your night. And if you wanna do something after..."

"Pervert." Sheena said, swatting him with a packaged tablecloth.

"Ow!"

Raine tucked her hands into her pants pockets, watching them bicker. She had decided to wear black slacks coupled with a light blue v-neck due to the breezier temperature of the day. Brushing a few errant strands of hair out of her vision, the half elf wondered how long it would take for the two Tethe'allans to realize their feelings for each other. It wouldn't be anytime soon, unlike Colette and Lloyd. With Zelos' carefree attitude in contrast to Sheena's driven one, they weren't ready to find a healthy balance.

"Are you really planning Lloyd's bachelor party?" The young woman asked, putting her hands on hips, the lavender dress she wore swishing back and forth against her knees.

"Uh...yeah. Why not?"

"I'm surprised he's letting you. You're probably gonna do something crazy, right?"

"Nah. I know the kid's not into any exciting stuff. Probably just gonna take him to a bar."

A bar? Raine frowned. Genis was certainly not old enough for that. The woman would have to have a talk with her younger brother before he went out.

"Then what's all this for?" The ninja pointed at the mountain of beverages in Zelos' shopping cart.

"The after party with you!" He winked.

"There is no way we're having a party with you guys!"

Just as they entered another shouting match, a voice signaled from behind: "Raine."

Turning around, Raine saw Kratos, staring down at her with those brown eyes. The half elf was starting to get used to the intensity of his gaze.

"Kratos. What are you doing here?"

"Making sure tonight won't get out of hand."

She smiled.

"It seems inevitable."

"Lloyd would rather stay home. But Zelos..." His eyes wandered over to the Tethe'allans, who were still arguing. "One cannot be too careful."

"How true."

"Your evening will be far less stressful."

"I hope so. We're spending it in my home. Party games and the like."

"Should I ask?"

"No. Unless you are interested in the intimate details of 'girl talk'." Kratos shook his head and she lightly laughed. "What time are you starting?"

"20:00."

"So are we."

The angel began to say something else when they were interrupted by Sheena grabbing Raine's arm, though her eyes were still focused on the redhead.

"We'll just see who throws the better party." Sheena snapped.

Zelos teased. "I'm gonna win. Just you watch. And then you-know-what...!" He swung the cart around and headed back down the aisle, his feet moving faster than what would be considered safe when wielding a large metal object.

"Good luck." Raine said as Kratos passed by her side, their arms just brushing.

"You as well." He nodded, then turned and followed the ex-Chosen.

Directing her attention to Sheena, who had begun to lead them to the register, the half elven woman inquired, "What sort of contest is this?"

"If I win, he has to pay for an entire spa day for me." Sheena said. "If he wins..." Her cheeks flushed once more. "I have to kiss him."

Raine raised her eyebrows. Maybe their inevitable courtship would happen sooner than she predicted. Though a single kiss did not certify anything would happen. In fact, it could do the opposite and delay the romance even longer.

"Just remember, you brought this on yourself."

"Raine! That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"Take it as a life lesson. Never bet unless you are sure of winning."

"I'm going to win. I know it."

As they found the rest of their items and purchased them, Raine wondered about the evening and what it had in store.

* * *

At 21:00, the bachelor party was in full swing, though relatively tame (thankfully). Zelos had challenged Lloyd and Genis to a game of darts while Regal, Neil and Linar were in deep political discussions. Kratos observed from a nearby table, beer in hand. He did not much care for this supervising, but this was another one of the duties Dirk had 'bestowed' upon the angel. The dwarf had no patience for such shenanigans, but he was worried about Lloyd. And so, Kratos had become the de facto chaperone.

As he sat and nursed his beer, he watched Lloyd. He and his son had yet to discuss their fight months ago considering the ample preparations underway for the wedding. Lloyd was never alone, always in the company of either Dirk, Colette, or Genis.

Although he knew the conversation needed to be had, he wasn't actively looking for an opening in Lloyd's schedule. What if the conversation was disastrous? The possibility of having another argument was less than appealing. And Kratos did not want to be responsible for any emotional upheaval in the already stressful environment. Having been to many weddings in his time, he had seen them bring out both the best and worst in people.

"Kratos! Come play!" Lloyd waved him over.

He raised his eyebrows and contemplated the offer. Shrugging, the angel rose from his seat, taking his beer with him. As he walked over, Zelos complained, "Why does the old-timer have to be on my team?"

"Because we're already a team." Genis said. "Besides, I bet Kratos is better at this game then you are."

"Take that back you brat!"

"Are we done?" Kratos asked, putting his beer down on a nearby bar stool.

"Yeah, it's your turn." Lloyd said, handing over the darts.

The Seraphim turned towards the board, darts in hand. It was a circular target with black, green, and white arcs encircling the center, indicating different point values. At the center was a red bullseye. He knew this would be easy; they knew it too. So why had they invited him to play?

"You have to step here." Lloyd said, pointing to a lever a couple of inches in front of Kratos' foot.

Skeptically, he stepped downward, feeling the lever give beneath his weight, and the dart board began to spin. Slowly at first, but then more quickly with each passing second.

There was the challenge.

Squinting, Kratos focused on the center of the dart board. The red glared back at him, provoking his hand. His eyes watched the turning of the dart board, calculating the rotations per minute. He pulled back the dart. Paused. Then threw.

It landed two inches away from the bullseye.

"Come on! You can't get that on your first throw." Zelos complained.

"Why are you whining? He's on your team." Genis rolled his eyes.

The older man ignored them. Aiming the second dart, he threw it. This one landed exactly on the bullseye.

"Yah, Kratos!" Lloyd cheered.

"Lloyd, you know he's on the opposite team." The half elf glowered.

"Oh...right."

"Nice one." Zelos grumbled.

Kratos stood still, still counting in his head. He cocked his arm and tossed the dart. It soared through the air and landed a few centimeters off the bullseye.

"Well, at least you got one." Zelos said.

"Yay! We won!" Genis cheered. He and Lloyd clinked bottles together and took a swig.

Watching the little celebration, Kratos narrowed his eyes at the half elven boy.

"It's root beer."

Satisfied, the angel went back to his seat. If Genis were drinking, Raine would not be happy. And the last think Kratos wanted was to incur her wrath. Though he had never seen her truly angry — just annoyed, exasperated, irritated, sometimes mad — he had enough sense to know that it would be very intense.

As the woman crossed his mind, Kratos wondered how her evening was progressing. If things were as calm as his were.

Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a small, blue, handheld device dotted with numbered buttons and an illuminated screen. His holocom. Swiftly, he typed in her ID and then a message:

 _So far a dull evening._

He pressed 'SEND'. He wondered if she would respond. He put it down on the table next to him and drank a sip of beer, feeling the liquid travel down his throat to his gut. A soothing warmth began to seep through his body.

The device buzzed next to him.

Surprised, he picked it up. That was quick.

He opened the message:

 _I cannot say the same. Truth or Dare was dramatic._

He typed back:

 _Is it over?_

 _Thankfully._

 _Did you take part?_

 _One round._

 _Which did you choose?_

 _Why do you want to know?_

 _Curiosity._

 _Truth._

 _What was the question?_

 _That I will not be sharing. Otherwise I will never live it down._

 _Wise._

 _Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be._

 _Good._

He was about to write a response when another message appeared.

 _Sheena wants to know how your party is going._

 _Uneventful. There is a game of darts. A conversation about politics._

 _Sounds pleasant._

 _Save for the drunkards in the back._ Kratos flicked his eyes to the group of elderly men laughing obnoxiously loud and singing drinking songs. They were harmless, but irritating.

 _Never mind. I need to go. We are starting a round of 'Never Have I Ever'._

"Hey."

Pocketing the holocom, Kratos looked up to see Lloyd, an uncertain look on his face.

"Can I sit?"

The angel nodded, pulling up an empty bar stool to the table.

"Sorry that we haven't gotten a chance to talk." Lloyd said as he sat down.

"You've been busy."

"Doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you."

Kratos took a sip of his beer, silent. His muscles tensed.

"Uh...well...I wanted to talk about our last...conversation." Lloyd sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Conversation was a generous way of classifying it.

"Lloyd, you are entitled to your opinion. It doesn't change my decision."

"I just think..." His son trailed off, eyes a little glassy from drinking. Kratos watched as his son's brow knitted together. "I just think it's stupid that you're up there."

"I have a responsibility."

"To who? Not the rest of those Cruxis idiots."

"That's not for you to decide." The man locked his jaw. He had to stay calm, even if his conversation partner was becoming increasingly emotional.

"Mom wouldn't want you to be up there."

"We've discussed this before."

"Dad, just let it go. You didn't want to..."

"Lloyd! It's your turn!" Genis called.

"K, just give me a sec!" Lloyd responded. He turned back to the Seraphim. "You know that. I know that. So why can't it just be the end of it?"

"It isn't that simple."

"Yeah, it is. Mom's dead. And she died in a really shitty way. But she wouldn't want you to be up there by yourself!"

"Lloyd. Calm down."

"Ugh. Fine." Lloyd sighed. "I don't get it. Really, I don't."

Pause.

"Why are you even here?"

"As I said before, you're getting married."

"So? I can't tell if you even care or not."

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"So you care enough to come, but not enough to stay? That doesn't make any sense!"

"As I sa—"

"Do you even care about what I want?!"

"You know I do."

"Then stop living on that damn rock and come down here."

His son glared at him, though Kratos' face remained impassive.

Lloyd rose from the table and shrugged. "Whatever. I'll talk to yah later."

Kratos watched the young man go, a wave of emotions breaking through his heart. That couldn't have gone any worse. He had hoped Lloyd would understand why things were the way they were, but his son would not listen. Before, they had argued about Anna and what she would have believed to be right. But now...Lloyd mentioned himself and what he wanted.

That was what cut the deepest. The fact that his son wanted him to stay.

But the older man couldn't. He didn't deserve to.

Silent, Kratos drank his beer, soaking into the warmth to numb the hurt. But he knew he was doing the right thing by staying away.

About ten minutes later, the game of darts and turned into a game of beer pong: Zelos and Regal versus Neil and Lloyd with Genis and Linar observing.

"I bet you can't make it through the next round." The ex-Chosen taunted his tipsy opponents.

"I'll raise you, Chosen." Neil said, tossing the small ping pong ball into the air. Gracefully, it landed in one of Zelos' cups. Neil and Lloyd cheered, high-fiving each other as they watched the redhead down the beer.

"Damn."

"My turn." Lloyd called. Without pause, the young man tossed the ball into the air. Kratos could see it's line of projection: it would fall into one of the cups.

Then the table jolted; the cup slid and the ball bounced on the tabletop.

"Hey!"

"I apologize. I did not mean to bump against the table." Regal said.

"I get a retry."

"Nope! You missed. It's our turn." Zelos said.

"No way. You made me miss!"

"Zelos, I think we should give Lloyd another try." Regal said.

"Rules are rules."

Kratos turned down to his holocom. No new messages. A small part of him had hoped she would have sent him another, but he instead focused on drafting his own message to her.

 _The situation has devolved._

The message was immediate.

 _What's happening?_

 _Lloyd and Zelos are arguing about the rules of a game called 'beer pong'._

 _Are you going to step in?_

 _Only if necessary._

 _You are the model chaperone._

He chuckled. Shouting reached his ears and Kratos looked up, alerted. The two young men were now challenging each other to a duel. Alcohol had certainly taken its toll on the young men. As the angel watched, Zelos and Lloyd sat down at a nearby table and grasped each other's hands. An arm wrestling competition.

Frowning, Kratos leaned back in his seat and finished his beer, not taking his eyes off of the unfolding testosterone-fueled confrontation. This was how he was spending his evening. He would have much preferred the warmth of a fireplace and a book. And a good whiskey.

Lloyd slammed Zelos' arm down on the table with a crash. "I did it! Yes!" He jumped up and hollered, fist-pumping to the sky.

"Only 'cause I let you."

"No way. I won fair and square."

"Then let's go again."

Lloyd took a seat again; Kratos could see the determined glare in his son's eyes and allowed himself a small grin. How many times he had seen that look during the Journey of Regeneration. Once more, Zelos and Lloyd locked arms. Thirty seconds passed before Zelos slammed Lloyd's arm down on the table.

"Look at that. I told you so." Zelos smirked, leaning back and placing his hands behind his head.

"Best out of three!" Lloyd said.

Putting his empty beer bottle down, Kratos flashed in front of the two. "Enough."

Shrugging, Zelos picked up an unattended beer and took a swig. "Just some friendly competition."

Lloyd laughed. "Haha, guess it got a little heated there."

Zelos held out his hand. Lloyd took it. They shook.

"Excuse me."

The three turned to see Ralph, arms crossed over his chest, resting on his beer gut. "I know this is a bachelor party, but I'm gonna have ta ask y'all to leave. Don't want none of my furniture to get broken."

"We understand." Kratos said amidst the thousand apologies that burst from the group of young men. Producing a 200 Gald bill, the angel handed it to the tavern-keeper. "For your trouble."

Turning away before Ralph could protest, Kratos glared at the party. "Let's go."

Finishing off their drinks, the men filed out of the tavern one by one. As they met the night, Kratos felt his holocom buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out: a message from Raine.

 _Did you resolve the issue?_

 _We were asked to leave._

 _The tavern?_

 _Yes._

 _What did they do?_

 _Arm wrestle._

 _You didn't stop it?_

 _I did. But too late._

 _I don't believe I've ever heard of Ralph kicking someone out of the tavern._

 _Now you have._

 _You realize this mishap will only fuel the fire between Sheena and Zelos._

"Kratos! Who are you texting?" Zelos demanded.

He looked up. "Raine."

"Oooh! How are the ladies doing?" Zelos asked.

The Seraphim didn't respond.

"Oh come on. Just a little hint?"

"Maybe I should text Colette..." Lloyd trailed off as he grabbed his holocom from his pocket.

"No, Lloyd! We've gotta show them we've got more exciting things to do." Zelos responded.

"Like what?" Genis said.

Kratos felt the holocom buzz in his hands. He looked down at the tiny screen.

 _What does Lloyd want to do?_

 _I assume to see Colette._

 _She said the same. I hate to say it, but it is sweet._

 _That is one word for it._

 _Don't you agree?_

 _I have never been one to use such language._

 _Perhaps we should expand your vocabulary._

He smirked.

"Let's go herd the cattle on Mr. Carter's farm!" Lloyd flashed a grin.

"Too provincial." Zelos shook his head.

"Well, what do you wanna do then mister high-and-mighty? You haven't suggested anything worthwhile." Genis interjected.

As the ex-Chosen and Genis entered a battle of wills, Kratos felt a buzz in his hand.

 _I've spoken to Colette and the others. You can come here. PROVIDED there is no roughhousing of any sort._

 _Are you certain?_

 _I'm already chaperoning. May as well bring everyone together._

 _Alright. I will share the offer with them._

Looking up, he turned his attention to the group again, who had resumed their conversation about what to do. "Raine has invited us over."

"Wait...what?" Genis asked.

"We're going to the bachelorette party!" Zelos grinned. "I wonder if they're all in their pajamas."

"You're so gross."

"I get to see Colette?" Lloyd asked, his eyes full of excitement.

Kratos nodded. For a brief moment, he felt the urge to smile at his son's enthusiasm, but pushed it down, knowing the display would not be well-received. Though, it seemed Raine was right. His son and Colette were...cute. Not that he would ever make such an admission aloud.

 _We'll be there in a half an hour._

 _See you then._

Thirty minutes later, they arrived outside of Raine's cottage. As they clambered up the steps, Zelos leading the way, Raine opened and stepped in front of the door. From his position at the back of the group, Kratos could see her face set in a serious expression, arms crossed over her chest.

"Should any of you break _anything_ in my home, you will answer to me. And it will not be pretty."

Silence.

Then she stood out of the entrance, gesturing inside. "Come in."

"Wow, she's scary." Neil whispered as he went inside.

"That's normal Raine." Genis responded, rolling his eyes.

"I heard that." Raine quipped.

Bringing up the rear, Kratos reached the doorway. She was dressed now billowy blue pants and a long-sleeved orange and black shirt that accentuated her figure. It fit her...well.

"You know this was unnecessary."

"Although it has surprisingly been an enjoyable evening, which I thank Martel for, Colette missed Lloyd. It's hard to deny her."

"You have knowingly invited chaos into your home."

"I know. But I have you here to help me keep an eye on things. Should anything happen, I'm sure we can handle it."

He raised an eyebrow as she headed inside. Sighing, the angel straightened his shoulders and headed inside. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

The evening wore on and Raine found her level of exhaustion increasing too quickly. Luckily, she had finished all necessary preparations during the day so there was nothing to worry about tomorrow other than herding everyone to the wedding site, which she knew could be a harrowing task in itself. She watched the group clumped together in the middle of her living room, some ten feet away. How were they still energized? To be fair, she wasn't that much older, but at this moment, it felt like it.

"How is your position at the University?" Regal asked.

The two were sitting at her dining table, watching the unfolding game of duck-duck-goose in the pit. It wasn't so bad watching: she had a glass of wine in hand and good company. And there were no more games about penis'.

At least she hoped not.

"I'm enjoying it. Right now I'm teaching two classes. One on ancient Aselian cultures. The other about the history and etymology of the Elvish language."

"Those both sound intriguing."

"I like to think so. But they are very basic subjects."

"I sincerely doubt that." He gave her a small smile. It was a smile that would make any girl weak in the knees. Not her though.

"The students are very interested, which is comforting. I am hoping I won't run into any that are simply taking these courses for history credits."

"There are always a few of those. It's inevitable." He sipped his beer. "Are there any plans for the future of the department?"

"Not at the moment. The university is expanding the sciences first. Currently, there are Chemistry and Biology departments. But the President wants to add Materials Science and Mana Physics as well."

"What about social sciences?"

"There is a small Political Science department. And a small Economics department. But those will be expanded once the University sees an increase in enrollment."

"It all sounds positive, Raine. I'm glad you have found a place that you enjoy."

The half elf returned his smile and sipped her wine. She enjoyed talking with Regal; he was intelligent, practical and observant. Handsome, of course, though too diplomatic for her liking. Tact was a good trait to have and use when the circumstances called for it, but sometimes one needed to be frank, no matter how harsh the truth was.

Glancing over his shoulder, Raine saw Kratos only a few feet away, leaning against the wall, watching the group below. He was wearing the same thing as he had this morning: black jeans, blue jacket, white shirt. But now he looked far more rigid. Tense.

She wondered why. They had had a friendly back-and-forth all evening over the holocoms. She had found herself enjoying it much more than she ought to, occasionally glancing at the device to see if he had sent her a message. Now, he was distant.

"Kratos. Come join us."

He turned his eyes on her and paused. She felt herself tense for a split second. Then he walked over, taking the seat between herself and Regal, setting his beer down on the table and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I was just telling Regal about the University."

"I overheard."

"Right." She forgot he had super-hearing.

"Kratos. I heard you were on Derris-Kharlan." Regal said in his warm, interested tone.

The angel nodded and did not respond.

"Lloyd said you were taking care of the exspheres." Regal continued, unconcerned.

"Yes. Yuan and I destroyed them."

"I'm glad to hear of it. It seems we will no longer need to worry about them getting into the hands of innocents here on Aselia."

"Yes."

"It appears you have done well for yourself since, Regal. How is the rebuilding of Ozette progressing?" Raine interjected.

"The town council has finally approved the building of a new commercial district. There was a large contingency against it as they worried it would compromise the integrity of the town. The news came in today."

"Congratulations." Raine said. And she meant it, if not for Regal, then for Presea. The girl desperately wanted to rebuild the only home she had ever known. If the town could be revived, the half elf hoped that it would bring Presea some peace.

Kratos nodded in agreement.

"Thank you for reminding me. I have yet to tell, Presea. She will be happy to hear of it. Excuse me." The Duke rose and walked away, heading towards pink-haired girl seated next to Colette.

"You were talkative." Raine said, sipping her wine, meeting his eyes.

"I said what was necessary."

"You don't like him."

"I don't know him."

"You know, you two are very similar."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Doubtful."

"You are both calm and practical. Focused on duty. Very uncompromising at times."

"Many people are."

"True. But he is approachable."

"And I'm not."

"Kratos, you can be intimidating at first glance."

"Was I to you?"

Raine cocked her head to the side as she remembered the beginning of their journey. The first time she had seen Kratos...he certainly had looked austere.

Best not to mention that.

And she'd found him attractive in the physical sense. But the half elf was not interested in such things at the moment. Her whole focus had been on Colette and helping her complete the Journey of Regeneration.

"I don't believe so. But I did think you were..."

"Uncompromising?"

He gave her a wry smile.

She laughed. "So I did."

"What other differences do you see between us?"

"Are you fishing for compliments?"

"Perhaps."

He drank his beer. More of that dark humor she enjoyed.

"Alright then. Regal is fairly open to conversation when provoked."

"I can be."

The half elven woman gave him a skeptical look as she sipped her wine. After a moment, she put her glass down and said, "You are a very loyal person."

"To a fault, I'm sure you've noticed."

"There is always a dark side to our strengths. That does not mean they are not admirable."

Throwing a glance to the center of the room, the half elf saw no chaos, just a bunch of friends laughing hysterically. Relief coursed through her; so far, so good. No damage to be seen.

"So you are enjoying academia."

Raine turned back to him and nodded.

"I am."

"Researching?"

"Trying. With everything being so brand new, it's hard. Between classes, office hours, and management, I don't have much free time, let alone enough to formulate a research proposal."

"That's unfortunate. I remember how much you...enjoyed seeing ruins on our trip."

Internally she cringed, recalling the many outbursts. In retrospect, they had been rather outlandish and humiliating. She'd hoped he wouldn't remember.

"I have to say I'm quite embarrassed by those displays."

"Don't be."

She blushed.

"It's different now. Before, my motivation was finding the Otherworldy Gate. Now, it's out of a pure passion." Raine said, then continued, "Do you have something like that, Kratos? Something you're passionate about?"

"No."

"Did you though? Maybe before..."

Internally, she scolded herself. Not a good time to bring up his past.

But Kratos did not betray any discomfort. Instead, he replied, "Painting."

"Really?"

"Don't seem so surprised."

"I apologize. I just never thought of you as..."

"Artistic?"

"Um...yes."

"It's been a long time."

"Have you thought about painting? Now that you have time?"

"I don't think I have the skill for it any longer."

"You just need to practice. That's the only way to get better."

"Thank you, Professor."

Raine scowled at him over the top of her glass as she finished her wine.

Memories flooded back to her and she felt a light bulb illuminate inside her mind. "That is why you were so adept at sketching our maps during our journey."

"I wouldn't call it adept."

"They were quite good. And accurate."

Casting his eyes to the side, the angel shifted in his chair. Was he uncomfortable?

"Thank you." He murmured.

"What other skills do you have that I don't know about, Kratos?"

"None."

"I don't believe you."

"We will agree to disagree." He smirked.

She returned it with a knowing smile.

They fell silent for the next few moments, listening to the excited tones coming from the partiers. They were full of joy. It had been a long time since they had all been in the same place. It warmed her heart, adding to the heat already coursing through her veins.

"Request an administrator."

His sharp voice pulled her out of her reverie and back to the present, demanding her attention.

"What?" The woman asked, curious, as she gazed into his eyes. They were urgent yet commanding. An odd combination.

"It is inefficient for you to do administrative work. You should conduct research. If necessary, travel."

"I can't travel. Genis needs supervision."

"He can take care of himself."

"He's only fourteen."

"He accompanied you on the Journey of World Regeneration. You were the one who told me Genis could carry his weight."

She frowned.

"He's still a half elf."

"I'm not saying leave him alone. Dirk wouldn't mind watching out for him."

"I don't want to burden Dirk."

He was silent for a moment. Then he asked in a cautious tone, "Is that really what it's about?"

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head and looked away. "Never mind."

Her body tensed.

"No. Tell me."

"You don't want to let go of him."

"What do you mean 'let go'?"

"Let him grow up."

"Of course I want him to."

He turned his eyes back to hers. "But under your constant supervision."

"Why is that so wrong?"

"It's not. But it's safe."

Astonished, Raine blinked a few times, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. Anger started to flow through her body: red, hot rage.

"Explain what you mean by safe."

"Secure."

"You mean I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't have to take care of Genis?"

"No—"

"Did you mean that I will lose some sense of self if I don't have my little brother to take care of?"

The fury rolled off her though her voice stayed dangerously low. What he was accusing her of...it was insulting to her person. That she did not aspire to be more than a caretaker...

"That's not what I meant."

"Really? Then what did you mean by it?"

"Raine—"

"If I wanted parenting advice, you would be the last person I would consult. Especially considering your relationship with Lloyd."

She watched him set his lips into a line and his own eyes narrow; she'd touched a nerve.

Good.

"You found out he was your son and you left."

"I had to take care of things on Derris-Kharlan."

"You couldn't have enlisted Yuan to help you? The two of you couldn't have alternated being here and Derris-Kharlan?"

"It wouldn't have made sense."

"You stayed there for two whole years, Kratos. That was a choice _you_ made."

"I do not have to explain myself to you." The man growled.

"I think you are afraid."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

He rose and strode away. Raine leaned back in her chair, watching him go, still infuriated.

How could he imply that she was holding onto Genis because she was afraid? _Asinine_. Genis was growing up. He was a teenager and needed more supervision now, not less. Teenagers were volatile; if she weren't around to keep him in line, who would be? She certainly hadn't had that luxury of guidance during that emotionally tumultuous time. Instead, she'd been on the road with Genis, searching for food, water, and shelter, dealing with life or death and her overwhelming emotions. Now able to give him a stable life, Raine wanted her younger brother to have a normal upbringing. Within reason.

Clenching her fists, she recalled his words and felt awash with heat all over again. What exactly was she supposedly afraid of? If Genis were fine on his own, she would be spending more time at her work: classes and administration and possibly research. But that was not the case. Regardless, there was nothing for her to be afraid of.

And she'd lashed right back at him. Raine knew she should not have. She'd allowed her emotions to get the better of her. It had been childish, though some part of her remained angry enough not to care. And that too was chidish. He already knew of the issues in his relationship with Lloyd. But to what extent? The woman contemplated his deflecting answers at the end of the fight. He really was afraid. But of what exactly?

Looking up at his figure across the room, Raine narrowed her eyes. The question would undoubtedly be on her mind all night.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the clock struck midnight. Already the noise had died down to a mild hum, the party's participants finally fatigued. Chocolat, Neil, Genis, and Presea played a game of yhatzee while Lloyd, Colette, Aisha, and Linar, were playing a game of Go Fish. Meanwhile, Sheena, Zelos, and Regal were in deep discussion just a few feet away, brows furrowed as they spoke in hushed tones.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kratos could see Raine still seated at the table, sipping her wine. No longer watching the action, the half elf was instead reading what he presumed was one of her students' papers. She set the glass down and proceeded to mark the document with a red pen, her stroke deliberate and forceful.

She was infuriated.

It was time to go.

Without ceremony, he stepped into the center of the room and began directing the young men out of the home. One by one, they said their goodbyes — Lloyd and Colette's being the longest — and walked out of the cabin. Raine was holding the front door open. As he neared her, she looked up at him indifferently. He could see her anger in her blazing blue eyes clenched jaw.

But she was not the only angry party. He hadn't forgotten what she had said to him.

For a minute, they stood together in silence, the tension coating the air between them.

Finally, she broke it.

"Thank you for getting them out."

"It needed to be done."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight.

As he headed down the steps, he heard the door close behind him. More like slam.

"What was that 'bout?" Lloyd asked as Kratos reached the bottom step.

"Nothing."

"Okay..."

"You and Genis will sleep in my room tonight."

"I can got home just find," Lloyd grumbled, though his words came out slurred.

Genis rolled his eyes. "I can take him."

The older man nodded and watched the group trudge towards the inn in their drunken stupor, Regal leading the way. Once he escorted them to the inn, the angel abruptly turned around and walked towards the entry gate of Iselia. It had been a long night; he was thankful it was over.

Launching himself into the sky, Kratos soared upward into the blackness. He felt the bite of the cold air as he rose higher and higher, but did not stop himself. Seconds passed as he flew upward, the air tearing at his clothes as he ascended. Finally, he paused, opening and extending his wings to float in the air. His eyes swept across the continent below. Spots of light decorated the landscape, stretches of darkness between them. One of those was Raine's, though he knew it would soon be extinguished.

He had willingly provoked her. That he knew was the truth. The woman was right: he not diplomatic. But Raine needed to be confronted with her realities. She was logical; after the emotional response, she would evaluate his words, make her own inferences, and draw her own conclusions. But that didn't necessarily mean she would forgive him.

Resuming his flight, the man considered why he even attempted the subject. It wasn't any of his business. But it frustrated him and he knew why. But that was his own history. It had nothing to do with Raine.

Pushing away these thoughts, he focused on the half elf's accusations. Dipping through the clouds, Kratos attempted to clear his mind, trying to cull the anger in his gut but to no avail. Touching the memories made it flair to life once more. She had not held back regarding her thoughts about his relationship with Lloyd. She thought he was afraid. _Ridiculous_. No, was doing the hard thing. The hard thing but right thing, guarding Lloyd from the disappointment of having him as a father. And atoning for his sin for the murder of Anna. Couldn't she understand that?

Growling, Kratos shot forward through the clouds, his mind ruminating on the words she'd said, the rage etched in her porcelain features, and the chill in her voice. She would haunt him the rest of the night.

* * *

Ahh conflict. Stressful, I know. But think of how good the next two chapters are going to be! Trust me, you'll like them. Let me know what you thought :)


	3. One Day Before

Right, so last chapter was rather jam-packed. So is this one. I guess even though this is a "short story", it's still got plenty of words to it, haha. Well, without further ado...onto the next day!

* * *

"Did you want some coffee, Kratos?"

The man looked up from his contemplation of the grass and into the eyes of his son's fiancée. The blonde smiled as she held out a mug for him, the wisps of steam floating and dissolving into the air.

He took the cup from her, murmuring, "Thank you."

"No trouble at all."

Together they stood, drinking coffee as people bustled around them. They were on the peninsula, about five miles away from the Martel Temple in Iselia, overlooking the channel, across from which was Katz island. The wedding excitement was in full force this morning. To his right, four men were scurrying to set up folded white chairs on the grass. To his left, two women were moving the white wood wedding arch with caution, taking care to center the view of the ocean behind it. And somewhere in the near vicinity, he heard Raine's calm voice guiding where each vendor should place their goods for the wedding ceremony.

Its coating of rage from the previous night was gone.

"Lloyd told me about your talk."

Kratos turned his attention back to the young woman.

"Um...I'm sorry that he shouted at you."

"You are not the one at fault."

"He's just been...nervous lately."

"That's understandable. Marriage is a big step."

"Yeah..." She sighed, her shoulders sagging.

"What's wrong, Colette?"

"I'm...afraid he doesn't want to get married."

Narrowing his eyes, he asked carefully, "Why would you say that?"

"I don't know...maybe I'm worrying about nothing." She pulled her hair behind her ear and gave him a weak smile. Quietly, she asked, "Has he said anything to you?"

Perturbed, Kratos shook his head.

"I wish I knew what it was. That way, I could try and fix it."

"I'll talk to him."

"Oh no! You don't need to do that!"

"Colette, you are getting married tomorrow. You should only marry if you are certain."

Hesitating, the young woman nodded.

"Thank you, Kratos."

Turning his gaze back to the chaos, Kratos resumed observing and together they drank in silence. Some fifteen feet away, he could see the rest of the wedding party mingling around the breakfast buffet, a few feeding their hangovers vigorously. Linar and Neil were eating a few too many croissants; Zelos wore sunglasses as he drank something out of a travel mug (if Kratos had to guess, it was a Bloody Mary); Genis and Lloyd were napping in the grass.

Though the display was amusing, he wondered why Raine had decided to host the rehearsal at eleven instead of later in the day. From what he remembered, rehearsals were immediately followed by the rehearsal dinner. The angel knew better than to question the logic; Raine had a reason. And considering their current situation, Kratos was less than interested in provoking her again.

Overnight, the anger towards her had ebbed away, just as he knew it would during his flight. The vehemence of his emotions had been something forgotten, a fervor the angel had not experienced in many years. The one time it came close was during his confrontation of Kvar, who he ended up killing. That instance had been one of rage. One that reminded him of his sins. But with Raine...she had shined a light on his weakness and fear. Anger was the only way he knew how to protect himself.

So once the fury had abated, Kratos forced himself to examine her accusation and see if there were any validity to it. The man was loathe to admit it, she was right.

And now he had to apologize for his behavior.

Not that he wouldn't had she been wrong. His conduct was detestable, even if she had been equally hostile. The indignation that had filled her blue eyes was unexpected. Seeing her fully enraged was disheartening. In the heat of the moment, he only felt his own fury, but now, recalling her expression, he only felt regret. The half elf had not deserved his condescension despite that he knew there was something to his words; she knew it as well. Regardless, upsetting her had been the incorrect course of action.

As his eyes found her about ten feet away, Kratos watched as Raine spoke with a tall human woman. With his keen eyesight, the angel watched her movements and gestures, graceful yet commanding. Unique.

It reminded him of when they had traveled to Asgard and found the locals terrified of a summon spirit living in the town dais. While it turned out to be nothing more than a monster, Raine had volunteered to dance to calm the summon spirit, in place of Aisha. It had surprised him to see her dance with ease and elegance, as if the woman had known the movements her whole life. Ironically, the half elf confessed to him that evening that she had no background or formal training in dance.

He hadn't said it, but she had a natural talent for it.

Today, she wore navy blue slacks and a white v-neck with a black vest on top. Her hair was arranged in a bun, something he'd never seen before. With her hair pulled away, he could see the definition of her cheekbones clearly and the expression of determination painted on her face. As her companion walked away, the half elf stood in place, surveying the scene. What was she thinking?

"Kratos?"

He turned once more to Colette.

"Did something happen between you and the Professor?"

"No."

"Alright." Colette took a sip of her coffee. "If something did though...she likes linden berries. They only grow here in Iselia." Smiling, the young woman walked away, heading towards the rest of the wedding party.

Frowning, he watched her go. He had forgotten that the ex-Chosen was fairly observant. Also fairly discreet.

Shifting his gaze back to the unfolding environment, Kratos watched as the staff begun to slow from a race to a walk. Things had begun to settle down: the chairs were in place, the wedding arch decorated with tresses of lilies, and the large white rose flower arrangements had been set up. It was well put together.

At the edges, he saw Raine, alone, examining the setting. He began to move towards her, grass crunching beneath his feet.

"Kratos!"

He stopped. Annoyed, he turned to see his old friend coming to meet him. "Yuan."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I didn't expect to see you here."

"I need to set up the perimeter for tomorrow."

"Is there really a need for security?"

"No. But Raine wanted to make sure nothing bad could happen." Yuan crossed his arms over his chest, giving the other angel a look of intense boredom.

"How many agents do you have for tomorrow?"

"Four. It'll be more than enough. What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something's bothering you."

Kratos creased his lips into a line.

"Fine. Don't tell me."

Sometimes the blue-haired half elf could be so adolescent.

"Lloyd and I had another...disagreement."

It was true. Even if it wasn't the whole truth.

"Ah. So things are going as well as you planned."

"If it were you, you wouldn't be doing any better."

"Glad it's not."

Yuan gave him a snigger and Kratos shook his head, exasperated. They slipped into companionable silence for a few moments, looking at the wedding site that would be buzzing with guests this time tomorrow.

"This doesn't affect you, does it?" The man asked.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friend's face fall for a split second. Then it resumed its natural haughty expression.

"No. That was a long time ago."

The human knew better. But if the other Seraphim didn't wish to speak of Martel, then he wouldn't press. Inwardly, it saddened him that Yuan had never had his chance with Martel, like he had had with Anna, even though it had ended in tragedy.

The loud sounds of conversation filled his ears and Kratos glanced over his shoulder: the wedding party was nearing the set up. The rehearsal was about to start.

"See you on the other side." Yuan said, taking off towards his post.

Kratos walked in the direction of the growing group, feeling his gut turn. Though he had no responsibilities, he still found himself nervous. As he reached the outer rim, he caught sight of Raine standing at the very front.

"Alright, we're going to begin. First, let's have the groom and groomsmen line up here at the front. The bride and bridesmaids go to the back. You as well Frank, and Isabella and Jake." Raine watched as each person moved to their positions. "Minister, you're up here. Phaidra, your seat is here." The half elf took great care to point it out. The older woman smiled and made her way to the assigned seat at the edge of the row, one from the aisle. "Dirk and Kratos, you two will sit right here." As she pointed to the seats on the opposite side of the aisle, Raine met his eyes for a brief second. He saw her blue eyes stare into his, then flick away.

Following the dwarf, Kratos took a seat on the right side of Dirk, second from the aisle.

"Here we go." The Dwarf whispered.

The man glanced at his son's father; the Dwarf's left foot was tapping the ground repeatedly. It seemed both fathers were nervous.

Clapping her hands together, Raine said, "Let's start."

Inwardly, Kratos smirked. He felt as though he were in primary school once more.

"First the band will play. Then Isabella, our flower girl, will walk up to the front."

The tiny half elf girl skipped up the aisle, her red curls bouncing as she passed.

"When you get here, you can go sit right next to your mother, sweetie." Raine said, pointing to the first chair in the second row. The girl gave her a big, toothy smile and went to sit.

"And then the bridesmaids. Each of you will line up here on the right of the wedding arch. First, Chocolat—"

"Um, Raine, you'll be first though, right?" Chocolat asked.

Raine pursed her lips and nodded.

"I will be first. Then Chocolat—"

The half elf gestured her to begin walking. She headed down the aisle, turned to the left when she reached the front and went to stand towards the end.

"Next, Aisha—"

The young woman glided, following the path of her predecessor.

"Then, Sheena—"

The ninja hurried, her cheeks ablaze.

"Finally, Presea."

The girl walked with purpose, landing next to Sheena. Across the aisle, Genis gave her a big grin.

"Now, Colette and Frank."

Arm in arm, father and daughter walked down the aisle towards Lloyd, who fidgeted.

Frank offered Colette's hand to Lloyd and he took it with a small nod. The older man went to sit in the chair opposite from Dirk. Colette beamed at Lloyd, who gave her a small smile back instead of his exuberant one. Kratos narrowed his eyes. Nervousness was a normal feeling. But his son seemed...apprehensive.

"Okay. Now the two of you will come up here," Raine said, scooting out of the way, "And Minister Jolie will take you through the ceremony."

The woman dressed in the traditional white robes of the Order of Martel smiled. "I'll say a few things. Ask for the rings."

"Roger, that's your cue." Raine waved to the small boy walked at the front of the line of groomsmen. He toddled over to the bride and groom, and proffered the little pillow he carried. No rings sat on its plush surface now; Kratos assumed they were in safe keeping, protected from misplacement before the wedding. "Once they take the rings, Roger, you can go sit next to you dad."

Roger nodded and trudged over to the empty seat across the aisle from Isabella.

"Now the two of you will place your rings on each other's fingers." Minister Jolie continued. "You'll say your vows. I'll say 'You may now kiss the bride'."

Nervously, they looked at each and giggled, uncertain of whether to follow the direction now.

"And you'll go down the aisle and out the door."

Lloyd and Colette walked down, hand in hand, stopping at the end of the aisle.

Raine took her position at the front once more. "Afterward, we'll all stay for pictures. Then the wedding party will leave for the reception and just the bridge and groom will stay to finish up. Then the two of you will then go to the wedding reception. Is everything clear?"

A unanimous 'yes' greeted her.

"Alright. Let's run through it a couple times. The first two times, I'll call it out. The third and fourth time I won't. Let's go!"

The first and the second run throughs went smoothly. Raine called out the actions from her seat next to Colette's grandmother. The third run-through was a little slower, as the participants focused on getting their parts correct.

As the fourth and last run-through got underway, Kratos glanced at Raine, who watched the action coming down the aisle. He turned his eyes back to the front, watching Lloyd, who still fidgeted. As Frank gave Colette's hand to Lloyd, she tripped.

"Ah!"

Lloyd caught her and held her against him. "Don't worry, I got you." He smiled, the anxiety disappearing from his features as if had never been there. Colette looked up at him and blushed.

Just from this small moment, it was clear that the two were very much in love. Raine had called it sweet. Kratos found he couldn't disagree.

Once again, the angel looked across the aisle, this time to find Raine staring back at him. She gave him a knowing smile and he returned it with a small nod.

Arm in arm, Colette and Lloyd walked up the minister and the half elf redirected her eyes to the front. Kratos did the same.

Perhaps things could be mended between them.

* * *

With the rehearsal over and the whole afternoon to herself, Raine went directly home after confirming with everything the time and location for dinner, in need of peace and quiet. Dealing with hyperactive children and hungover adults acting like children (with a great deal of patience) had sapped what little strength she had. It was a selfish decision, but she had intentionally left time in between the rehearsal and dinner simply because she wanted solitude.

Now, the woman sat on her window sill, sunlight shining on her face, gazing at the the tree line from the Iselia forest. The town had been blessed with clear days, and this one was no exception. As she looked down at the student's paper she was supposed to be reading, the half elf sighed. Though she knew she needed to use this precious time to work, she was far too distracted.

As if in perpetual motion, her mind played her argument with Kratos over and over again. Each time she felt the waves of shame and embarrassment flood through her. Between her childish behavior and lack of emotional control, the woman had painted herself in the most atrocious way. That was not how she wished to be viewed, especially by Kratos.

But the allegations he'd made...

The sound of footsteps behind her interrupted her thoughts. Casting a glance over her shoulder, she watched Genis fetch a pitcher of lemonade from their ice box and pour himself a glass.

"Do you want one, sis?"

"Yes, please."

Pouring another glass, Genis walked over and handed it to her.

"Thank you."

"No prob. You look kinda tired. Do you want some tea or something instead?"

"No, I'll be fine. Just need a good night's sleep."

He nodded. "Whatcha doing?"

"Grading. Trying to anyway."

"Can I come work out here with you?"

She smiled. "Of course."

"Ok. I'll bring my homework." Setting his glass down on the table, he headed for his bedroom.

Raine turned back to the window, a little sigh escaping her mouth. Was she mothering her little brother too much? Did she need to give her him some breathing room?

As he walked back into the room and took a seat at the small end table next to her, the teen gulped down half of his lemonade. She was about to remark on the amount of sugar, but then stopped herself. Instead, the half elven woman folded her hands in her lap and took a breath.

"Genis."

"Yeah, sis?"

"Are you happy?"

Confused, he asked, "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I just want to know. Are you happy where you are now?"

"I like my school, and my friends. My dorm room is pretty sweet and I like living in Palmacosta."

"Good. That is good."

His features crunched into a look of skepticism.

"What's wrong?"

"I just worry about you."

"Is that it?"

"Yes, Genis."

"You don't have to worry about me. Everything's cool." He twitched his nose thoughtfully. "But you like your job, right?"

"Mmhm. Why do you ask?"

"I wasn't sure if you did or not."

Knitting her brow together, she asked, "Why would you think that?"

"Cause you seem super stressed a lot of the time I talk to you."

"That's simply because everything is brand new."

"Okay, sure. But you haven't really gotten to do much research. I know how much you like that stuff."

"There will be time for that soon enough."

"You should get what you want. You've been taking care of others for so long, especially me. I think you should focus on yourself for a bit."

It was as if he'd ripped the questions right from her mind. Stunned, she blinked a few timed before responding.

"Thank you, Genis."

He beamed and then turned his head downward, getting to work on his math homework. Her brother's words echoed in her head as she filled her vision once more with the forest's tree line. He was happy: things had settled for him. There had been no incidents of hate crimes against Genis during the past year at school, surely that meant he was safe.

Raine would never stop taking care of her little brother, but what if she didn't have to constantly watch over him anymore? He was the most independent fourteen-year-old she knew. Obviously the smartest. And he had a lot of common sense from many years of traveling (though as a teenager, he was still prone to mistakes).

A question crept from the back of her mind: what if she could leave to go travel and research? What if she did?

Her heart stilled.

Fearful thoughts swarmed. It wasn't exactly what Kratos had alluded too, but it was fairly close, his estimation. Leaning against the glass and closing her eyes, Raine gradually sorted through her emotions. There was excitement, sadness, and fear. Excitement at the prospect of exploration. Sadness that her younger brother was growing up. Fear of change. Change was always frightening. Watching other people make changes without any knowledge of potential consequences...it was mind-boggling.

 _But that is what faith is._

She smirked to herself. Faith had never been part of her vocabulary until the Journey of Regeneration, and that had only been in the most extenuating of circumstances. Even after the merging of the two worlds, when she was fueled with a renewed sense of optimism, faith was not something she subscribed to.

Opening her eyes, the half elf stifled a groan. She ought to talk to Kratos. Besides needing to apologize, she wondered what his thoughts on the matter would be, seeing as he already had seen through her.

Memories from the morning unearthed themselves. He had tried to engage her before the rehearsal. That movement hadn't escaped her notice. Should he have actually made it to her side, she was prepared to listen as her anger had diminished during the previous night's sleep.

She would make a point to talk to him after the rehearsal dinner.

Bringing her eyes back to the paper in her lap, Raine pushed aside these thoughts, resolute in her decision and ready to focus on work.

* * *

It was twenty past 19:00 when Kratos arrived at _Charlene's Bistro,_ the most upscale restaurant in town. Opening just after the merging of the two worlds, the restaurant enjoyed a vast amount of business due to the higher rates of tourism in Iselia. While a number of businesses had popped up as a result of the economic boom, the _Bistro_ towered over all. This was due to Charlene's special home-cooked recipes: all native and unique to Iselia. Tourists wanted an authentic experience when they arrived in the city of the Chosen, and they found it here.

The angel stood outside the restaurant under the firefly lights strung up around the roof. Arms crossed over his chest, he awaited the arrival of his son. After the rehearsal, Kratos had pulled Lloyd aside and asked if he would meet him before the dinner. His intention was to address Colette's concerns, as well as their own conversation from the previous night. The former, the older man knew how to navigate; the later...that was nebulous.

"Hey."

The young man appeared to his right, hands tucked into the pockets of his blue pants, eyes focused intently on his father's. Though Lloyd put on a strong front, Kratos could see the small shift of the young man's body back and forth between his legs. It seemed he was not the only one who was nervous.

"Let's go for a walk."

Together, they ambled away from the restaurant, darkness threatening to absorb them. Moments passed as they continued on in silence, passing under glowing street lamps that cast blue and yellow light onto their path. Finally, Kratos stopped at the edge of the town, next to the trail that led through the forest and eventually to Dirk's house.

Leaning against the gate, Kratos crossed his arms in his usual manner and studied his son.

"So...what did you want to talk about?" Lloyd asked, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Is their something wrong, Lloyd?"

"What do you mean?"

"With Colette."

"No."

Too quick.

"Do you not want to get married?"

"Of course I do!"

Kratos gave him a skeptical look.

"No, no! I do. I just..."

Lloyd began pacing back and forth.

"Everyone gets nervous."

"It's not that. I mean it is. But it's also not just that."

"Then what is it?"

Stopping in his tracks, the young man looked downward into the dirt. Kratos waited.

"I'm just...what if I don't do it well? What if I can't do it?"

"Be a good partner for Colette."

"...yes." Lloyd looked up, his eyes small with fear.

Kratos closed his eyes and ran one hand through his hair. They were alike in more ways than he'd expected. It was ironic considering the small amount of time they'd spent together over the course of Lloyd's life.

Opening his eyes, the angel said, "I worried about that too."

"You did?"

"Yes. Your mother and I didn't meet in the best of circumstances. We knew a life together would be difficult."

"But you still went for it."

Kratos thought back to his first meeting with Anna. "Your mother...I would've done anything for her."

"That was pretty brave. Breaking her out and stuff."

The angel felt himself warm at his son's words. Though they had spoken about Anna, and about her death, they hardly ever discussed the beginning and middle of the relationship. To hear his son's thoughts brought a sense of relief Kratos did not realize he wanted.

However, it did not overshadow the facts.

"Brave and foolish. Your mother was murdered because of it it."

"You've gotta stop punishing yourself." Lloyd said as he walked over to Kratos, leaning against the fence. "It wasn't your fault."

"We were talking about you."

The young man rolled his eyes, then sighed, his face slumping once more into glumness.

"How...how do I know it'll be okay?"

"We never know."

"That's scary."

"Lloyd, you have faced much worse."

"This is different. What if I end up hurting Colette?"

Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black pants, the angel knew it would not be the response his son was looking for. But it had to be said.

"Hurting people is inevitable. Most often we hurt the people we love the most. But what matters is how you fix it. How you deal with challenges. If you can get past them together." He paused, putting his thoughts together. "You both have already demonstrated that together, you have the strength to get through anything."

Knitting his brows together, Lloyd looked up at the dark sky, the only light above from the dots of stars and the ephemeral aura of Derris-Kharlan.

The fear Lloyd was experiencing was the very same Kratos had encountered, though the situations were vastly different. It only made him wish to be of more use to his son.

"This conversation already shows that you would sacrifice your happiness for hers."

"Really?"

Kratos nodded.

"Thanks." Lloyd brightened and continued, "I should probably go apologize, huh?"

"Yes."

As the young man pushed away from the fence and walked a few steps, he turned back to face the Seraphim.

"I don't get it. If you say Mom was understanding and kind and generous, she wouldn't want you to stay up there by yourself. It just doesn't add up."

The logic was sound. Even so, it didn't feel right to Kratos to enjoy life with Lloyd knowing Anna hadn't had the same opportunity.

"Is that the only reason why you won't leave?"

The angel said nothing.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me. But just think about it. I think Mom would forgive you. I do."

"Alright."

They fell silent for a few moments, as if looking for the next path of conversation.

"So...is something else is going on? You and the Professor seemed kinda mad at each other last night."

"No. We merely had a disagreement. That is all."

"Okay...it just seems weird."

"It's nothing. Let's head back."

Side by side, father and son traveled back to the restaurant, engaging in a conversation about Lloyd's recent swordplay techniques, ending with the promise of a spar in the early morning should Lloyd be awake. As they neared the entrance, the young man stopped abruptly. Kratos too, giving him a questioning look.

"Really, thanks, Kratos." Lloyd beamed. "I appreciate it."

The young man headed inside, leaving the older man to his thoughts. Although the conversation wasn't an easy one, he felt their relationship had strengthened because of it. His son had trusted him with a fear that affected his future happiness, and the Seraphim had been able to ease Lloyd's concerns and offer advice. He was happy to have been useful to his son. He didn't now if there would be any more occasions such as this one in the future.

The group was seating themselves as the angel weaved through the crowded tables towards the back of the restaurant. Observing, Kratos waited until most had taken their seats to find his own. His brown eyes trailed his son, who moved to sit next to his fiancée. The ex-Chosen sat at the middle of the table, Sheena on one side, and an empty seat on the other. As Lloyd sat in the vacant chair, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. Her eyes lit up and she turned to face him, glowing.

A small smile appeared on Kratos' lips.

Finally, most were seated and Kratos moved to the end of the table, taking a seat opposite of Aisha. Neil on was on the angel's right and Yuan on his left. Across from Neil was Chocolat, and across from Yuan was...Raine.

As he sat, Kratos focused his eyes on the half elf, who turned her head to see his. Her expression was thoughtful, not the blank one he expected. Then she cast her eyes downward at the menu.

The buzz of conversation filled the air as the party members began to peruse the food and drink choices, many asking their seat partners what they were eyeing.

"Any trouble last night I should be aware of?" Yuan asked, shutting his menu, his features already etched into an expression of disinterest.

"None." Kratos responded. He did not need to look up; Raine had heard.

"That I don't believe. Raine?"

Now, the older many lifted his head from the page.

"Overall enjoyable. Only a few hiccups," the half elf said, turning her blue eyes onto Kratos. "But nothing that can't be fixed."

A loud buzzing emanated in the air. Yuan looked down and pulled his holocom out of his pocket.

"Excuse me."

Abruptly the angel stood and left the table, putting the holocom to his ear as he headed for the door.

On his right, Kratos saw Aisha, Neil and Chocolate absorbed in conversation. Good. He did not know them well, and did not desire to force any sort of conversation.

"It's tomorrow."

His head snapped to the left: Raine was addressing him.

"You must be relieved."

"Why?"

"This morning was smooth."

"I'm glad you thought so." She said, taking a sip of water.

"It wasn't?"

"There were supposed to be risers for the groomsmen and the bridesmaids to stand on, instead of just grass. And a small platform for the minister and the couple."

"What happened?"

"Apparently, the vendor did not receive that order." Her voice was tinged with annoyance. "But it will be remedied for tomorrow. I just hope that it won't come as a surprise to anyone. I don't want bridesmaids tripping as they come up the aisle. Or the bride for that matter."

"Are you not also a bridesmaid?"

"I...am."

"You seem happy to forget that."

"I am honored that Colette asked me to be a bridesmaid."

Kratos waited, knowing there was a 'but' to the sentiment.

The half elf exhaled, her expression unamused. Shooting a quick glance at Colette, Raine whispered, "I am not looking forward to wearing the dress."

"What's wrong with it?"

"There is a bow."

Pause.

If he were an outgoing person, he would have roared with laughter. But that was not his nature. Instead, the smirk grew on his lips before he could stop it. He could not imagine Raine in any outfit that had bows or frills or anything of the sort.

"I'm glad this is so entertaining to you. Don't you dare laugh tomorrow." She glared.

"I won't."

"I will know. And I will make you regret it."

"I have no doubt about that."

As he leaned back in his chair, still smirking, he saw her shoulders relax and she clasped her hands on the tabletop.

"Was there any trouble last night after you all left?"

"None. I escorted them back to the inn."

"You didn't stay?"

"No."

"What did you do?"

"I went flying."

He thought she was about to ask why, when instead she asked, "What is that like? Flying? I know what it feels like in a reihard, but I imagine it's different when one is actually flying."

"Much."

"In what ways?"

"You don't feel encumbered by a piece of technology." Yuan butted in, taking his empty seat.

Kratos scowled.

"Is that it?" Raine asked.

Yuan rolled his eyes. "I don't know. I don't spend much time flying these days. That's more Kratos' thing."

"Do you not enjoy it?"

"It's not a practical way to get around."

"Do you use it to get around?" She asked Kratos, fascination growing in the icy blue eyes. It was the same fascination she held when exploring a new ruin or learning about a new piece of history; it made her glow.

"Occasionally."

"And other times?"

"To think."

She gave him a knowing smile.

"And that's what you were doing last night? Thinking?"

His eyes stared into hers, a silent message passing between them.

"Yes."

"I hope you found some resolution."

"I did."

At the moment, the waiter interrupted them, ready to take their orders.

The evening passed quickly, much quicker than he'd anticipated. As the food and drink was served, communication flowed easily between all party members. Much of his time was spent speaking with Yuan, though Raine would occasionally interject after ending a thought with Presea. Those were the conversations he enjoyed the most.

As the meal ended, Colette's father rose and gave a small speech, thanking everyone for coming to celebrate the union of his daughter and Lloyd, whom he already considered to be a son. As he reached the end of his address, Frank turned towards Raine.

"I would especially like to thank Raine for organizing everything so expertly. Without her help, I'm afraid this wouldn't have come together in such a wonderful fashion."

The half elf offered him a smile and mouthed 'Thank You'.

A round of applause signaled the end of the speech, and dozens of thank you's were sent Raine's way. Her cheeks began to fill with a pale red at all the attention. Amidst the expressions of gratitude, Raine caught Kratos' eyes for a split second before they darted away. She had never been one for praise.

Neither was he.

Minutes later, the party walked out of the _Bistro_ and into the night. Guests began to say their goodnights and depart in different directions.

"Raine."

Kratos made his way towards her. He noticed she hadn't made any moves to head in the direction of her home.

Expectantly, the woman looked up at him, the glow of the firefly lights reflected in her blue eyes.

"Would you care to take a walk?" He asked.

"Yes. I'd like that."

* * *

Butterflies fluttered around in her stomach as they headed down the path away from the restaurant. Conversation at dinner had been surprisingly easy despite last night's complications. If anything, he had reciprocated her message that all was well. Somewhere inside, the half elf had worried that the fight would cause irreparable damage. That it had not was a strange relief.

As they made their way through town, past cottages whose internal lights radiated and jovial conversations could be heard, they talked about her interests. What studies she was reading, new historical subjects that interested her, technologies she was learning. She asked him questions that had arisen in her literature, things that only he would know having lived through it all. To her delight, he confirmed some suspicions of hers, though left others a complete mystery. To those, he hinted at where she could find the answers; it should have annoyed her, but rather it excited her.

In turn, she asked him questions, careful with her choice of words and topics. And he slowly gave answers. At first, they were short, without much detail. But gradually, he expanded and elaborated, to the extent that he was comfortable. A few sentences. She knew he was not one of many words, so the woman was simply glad that he was sharing more than he was accustomed to.

Nearing her house, Raine said, "Thank you for answering my questions. I have to say, it is very useful to have a 4000 year old angel confirm my theories."

"I have discovered my purpose." He said dryly.

She emitted a small laugh then took a breath. Her heart skipped a beat as they stopped a few feet away from the house. Now came the uncomfortable part.

"Kratos, what you said last night...first I'd like to apologize for my response."

"Raine—"

"No please. Let me say this."

He folded his arms over his chest in his usual way, waiting for her to continue. Though his stance was casual, the woman thought she saw a softness in his eyes.

"I acted atrociously. You were trying to bring something important to my attention, albeit not in the best of ways, but nonetheless you were. And it was something I didn't want to hear, but something that had truth to it. I...you already know about how Genis and I grew up. And so it is easy to see how I worry about him. I am afraid. But it is different than what you believe."

Pursing her lips, Raine stuffed her hands in her pockets to keep from fidgeting. She maintained the eye contact, refusing to look away from the brown eyes that watched her.

"I have been a researcher all of my life, but an amateur one. It is a strange thing. I do not doubt that I can execute tasks well. I am very organized. But I...I am afraid that my lack of formal training will show through in any sort of original research project. That I will be revealed as nothing but an enthusiastic student, far from the researcher I should be. And even if I were to find something extraordinary and write about it, I fear that I would not properly report it in the ways that it should be done. Teaching is...safe. Caring for Genis is...safe." She shrugged and gave him a weak smile. "There you have it."

"I did not mean to cause you pain." He murmured.

Shooting him a side glance, she saw his eyes turned downward, regret mixed in those brown irises. "Do not think that. You forced me to examine my choices. And for that, I thank you."

"No thanks needed."

"But once more, I apologize for how I spoke to you. It was rude and uncalled for. And your relationship with Lloyd is none of my business."

He did not respond, turning his face to look at the stars. It took much control to keep her face blank though her mind skidded from one end to the other. Should she have even brought up Lloyd? Was all this a mistake?

No. It had not been a mistake. She said what she needed to say and that was that. The half elf would stand by that resolution, even if the nerves screamed otherwise.

"That doesn't mean you are not wrong."

His voice broke through her internal monologue. His face had turned back towards her. His eyes were clouded; his mind was somewhere else. She felt the corners of her lips tug downward. Under the monotone of his voice, the woman knew there was pain. He was thinking about his family: Anna and Lloyd. Raine sympathized, knowing how it had felt to miss her parents at such a young age: to watch her father die and mother disappear. It was a heart wrenching pain that never quite went away though softened over the years. Even after she'd learned her mother was alive, the woman Raine had known as a child was still gone. The fact that Virginia was still alive...Raine didn't know if it made the pain lesser or greater.

"You know about Anna." Kratos said and continued, "I didn't know Lloyd existed until the Journey of Regeneration." His brow furrowed as he struggled to find the words. "I do not know how to be a father. I am not fit to be a father. I am a disappointment. And Lloyd does not need to know any more than that."

"That is your subjective truth. What about Lloyd's truth?"

"It will only end in disappointment."

"You don't know that. You may believe that, but that is not an objective truth." He looked at her, his expression unreadable. Taking a breath, she continued, "I know Lloyd wants to get to know his father. I don't think you will face any possibility of rejection."

"But you're not certain."

"Nothing is certain Kratos. Sometimes things require a leap of faith. I struggle with that, but Colette tells me that all the time."

Kratos shook his head, a smile appearing on his lips.

"What?"

"The irony of this does not escape me. I said something similar to Lloyd this evening."

"Then what am I telling you for?"

"If I recall, the one time I took a 'leap of faith' with your cooking, I became violently sick."

Raine was thankful for the dark of the night as heat rushed into her cheeks.

"Oh gods. I am so sorry."

He chuckled. She liked the sound.

They stood together in the night, feeling the warm air buzz around them. A firefly whipped past her ear, catching her eye as it rose into the sky. Although the bug zipped out of her vision, the half elf kept her eyes upward, filling her eyes with the stars in the sky. And far off she could see the dim outline of Derris-Kharlan.

"Is it different seeing the stars up there?"

"On Derris-Kharlan?"

"No. In the sky when you're flying."

"I could take you up there."

"What?" Raine's eyes darted to his. "You mean fly me up there? No. Out of the question."

"Are you not curious?"

"Of course I am."

"Then take a leap of faith." He smirked.

She narrowed her eyes.

"That's not fair."

"Your words. Not mine."

Pursing her lips, the half elf regarded him. Raine knew he wouldn't drop her; he had angelic strength. But she would be hundreds of feet, maybe thousands of feet, above the ground, much more than a reihard. And she would not be in control.

But to see the stars and float above the clouds...

"...fine." The woman stepped towards him. "Not a second longer."

He nodded.

"What do I need to do?"

"Wrap your arms around my neck."

As Raine did so, she became acutely aware of the nearness of him. She was so close she could smell his cologne.

Then her legs were in his arms; he cradled her against his chest and she tensed. Being held in such a way...this was completely foreign to her. And fairly intimate.

"What are you doing?" She demanded.

"This is the most efficient way to fly with you. Any other position, I could drop you." Kratos looked at her, his eyes wary. "We don't need to do this."

"No. It's fine."

Somewhere between pride and stubbornness, she wasn't about to back down now.

"Ready?"

Silently, she nodded. She didn't trust her voice.

A glimmer caught her eye and she gasped. His wings shimmered in the night air. They were not the white, feathery wings she had previously seen. These were similar to Colette's wings. They were almost translucent, their edges colored like a rainbow seen through a kaleidoscope.

They were beautiful.

Then she was in the air. The lift off had been so quick, the ascent faster than she would have liked. The wind whooshed around her and the ground began to get increasingly smaller. Her stomach twisted; she was certain she would to be sick. Raine tightened her arms around his neck.

The wind shot past them as they climbed higher and higher. They split through clouds and she felt the cold rush pass across her body. Shutting her eyes, Raine heard her blood roar in her ears. This had not been a good idea.

And then it was over.

Cautiously, the half elf opened her eyes. Scanning around her, she realized they were on top of the clouds, floating. It was silent; not even the wind howled. Peaceful.

Peering downward, Raine saw tiny spots of light between the dark grey clouds that lazily passed beneath her. How far they had come. How insignificant it all seemed. It truly put things in perspective, looking down on the world from up here.

Then she turned her eyes skyward.

The stars were bigger than she imagined, though still very far away. They blinked one by one, as if saying hello, dots lighting up the darkness that blanketed the world every night. She wondered about the stars and what they looked like up close. Passing over each one, the half elf began to identify the constellations she knew. But soon she called her mind to rest, allowing herself to simply gaze in awe at nature.

"This is...breathtaking."

"It is."

"No wonder you come here to think."

"It is a privilege."

They hovered for a while, silently worshipping the heavens.

"Shall we go back?" He asked, his voice low and warm.

"Yes."

"Hold on."

She did.

A minute later, they touched down. Gently, Kratos released her legs so she could stand. As Raine stepped away from him, she immediately felt bereft of the warmth of his body.

"Did you enjoy that?"

"Yes, very much. Thank you."

He nodded.

To her right, she saw her house. The light of the windows meant Genis was home. Most likely finishing his homework, waiting up for her.

Turning her thoughts back to Kratos, Raine gazed into his eyes. She didn't want to go in just yet, but there was nothing left to say or do. There was no other purpose to their meeting.

"Well...goodnight, Kratos. Thank you for the walk. And the flight."

"The pleasure was mine." There was a gentleness to his tone that surprised her.

Neither retreated, as if the goodbye hadn't been said. They continued to stand there for a few more minutes, both silent.

He took a step closer to her and she held her breath.

She leaned in slightly. Her eyes peered into his; she could something in them.

His lips parted.

Her heart stilled.

"Goodnight, Raine."

She straightened, keeping her expression blank.

"Goodnight."

Turning away, she walked inside and shut the door without looking behind her.

Leaning against the door, Raine sighed, embarrassed. What was she thinking? That he was going to kiss her? That was silly. Childish. What nonsense.

But there in lay the danger.

She had wanted him to kiss her. And she had wanted it badly.

Closing her eyes, the woman recalled his hypnotic stare and the resonance of his voice. Electricity had shocked her body when Kratos held her in his arms. And now she wanted to feel his body next to hers again.

To be fair, it was not simply the physicality that appealed to her. No, the woman wanted to hear him talk about his life before she knew him. She wanted to hear more about his journeys and adventures before the Great Kharlan War. She wanted to know who he was before becoming a Knight of Tethe'alla.

It was clear now: Raine was attracted to him. But it didn't matter. After all, the angel would leave the day after next once the wedding was over.

A pang of disappointment ran through the young woman. There was nothing to be done about it. And so she would have to tread very carefully and contain her feelings.

But as her head hit the pillow, all Raine could think about was his arms wrapped around her as they gazed at the stars.

* * *

OoooO. Juicy stuff! Anywho, leave some love. We've got one more chapter left :)


	4. The Day Of

Clack!

The sounds of wooden swords clapping against each other filled the clearing outside Dirk's home as yellow sunshine poured down onto the glade. Energy buzzed in the air, heavy with anticipation and concentration. Two men circled each other, waiting for the other to make the first move and break the calm.

Lloyd rushed forward, clenching his practice swords at his sides. Leaping into the air, he yelled and swiped downward. His swords met a single, unyielding blade. Kratos gripped his weapon, and pushed against the weight of his son's attack. Grunting, the young man somersaulted backwards and landed a few feet away, his breathing heavy and eyes focused. Narrowing his eyes, the angel darted towards the young man, catching Lloyd off guard. Sword met sword as father attacked and son parried, their slices mere blurs in the air. Growling, Lloyd shoved forward and Kratos slid backward, assuming a defensive position as he stopped.

Mind ticking, the Seraphim watched the younger man assess the situation. Inside, he smiled; Lloyd's skill had grown since they had last sparred two years ago. It pleased him to know that even though the skills were unnecessary in today's world (peacetime had no need for the arts of war), his son wanted to continue learning the craft of swordplay.

Launching himself at the older man, Lloyd swung his sword forward, a burst of blue energy heading directly toward Kratos. The angel easily dove to the side, but Lloyd was already there, catching Kratos by surprise, landing the winning blow to the older man's left side.

"I win!" Lloyd hollered into the air.

"So it seems."

Dropping the swords to the ground, Lloyd raised his arms and interlocked his fingers behind his head, panting. "Whew! That was a lot."

Kratos stood and sheathed the practice sword, wiping the sweat off his brow. Maybe he was old. Maybe rusty. He preferred to think the latter.

"You've been practicing."

"As often as I can!"

"It shows."

Lloyd beamed. "Thanks."

"You done out there yet?" Dirk stuck his head out of the kitchen window, his brown, bushy brows furrowed and nose wrinkled in slight annoyance.

"Yeah, Dad. I feel a lot better now."

"Good. It's time fer you ta get ready now."

Lloyd nodded and turned back to Kratos. "Are you staying? Or going back to the inn?"

"He's stayin'." Dirk called out, then disappeared inside.

"I guess I'm staying."

Laughing, Lloyd headed inside and the Seraphim followed. The morning spar had soothed the groom's nerves regarding the upcoming nuptials. And it had somewhat mitigated Kratos' nerves as well regarding the wedding.

As well as his situation with Raine.

 _Situation_. The word assigned too much meaning to what had happened. Or hadn't.

Thinking about last night, Kratos inwardly grimaced. The walk itself had been agreeable. The flight though had been as much a surprise to him as it had to her (if he read her correctly). She wanted to see the stars up close, and he offered a solution. It was logical.

Yet it felt different from a gesture of good will. The feeling of holding her in his arms as they flew up into the sky had stayed with him, even after they parted. And when they watched the stars, they fell into silence: an unspoken understanding that words were unnecessary to enjoy the moment. Their companionship was enough.

Lines had started to blur between friendship and—

 _No._

He could not go there. Already his consideration of Lloyd's request to stay was a violation of the punishment fit for him. Now a situation such as this...it was a betrayal to Anna.

"Yer tux is upstairs. I ironed it while you were out there."

"Thanks, Dad!"

"Raine says the corsages will be delivered in an hour or so."

"Okay."

"And you got yer vows done?"

Lloyd nodded.

"Do you want to practice them?"

"Um...I'm okay." Lloyd blushed.

"What about the rings?"

"The Professor has them."

"Ok. Now ya need to eat."

"Fine, Dad." Lloyd rolled his eyes.

It seemed Dirk himself was having his own problems with nerves.

"Are we ready to get this party started?!"

Fathers and son turned to see Zelos standing in the doorway, champagne bottles in each hand, an earnest expression painted across his face. Tie and collar undone, Zelos had his jacket opening, revealing the suit that clung to him like a second skin, tailored to show off every muscle in his body. The ex-Chosen's ability to pretend he was extremely vain & carefree was convincing.

"Zelos." Kratos narrowed his eyes at the alcohol.

"What? We're celebrating! The kid is getting married!"

The redhead strode into the house, winking at the angel as he passed. Why was the Seraphim surprised? Zelos never played by the rules. Not that Kratos had much knowledge about these occasions. He had always been on the outside, never a direct part of the ceremony. Even after 4000 years, there was still a first for everything.

"I tried to deter him." Regal said, coming into view just behind the ex-Chosen with Neil, Linar, and Genis. Each was dressed in their own tuxedos, polished and traditional. At least there would be some sort of standardization.

"It's fine. One glass won't hurt." Zelos said in exasperation

"He's right." Dirk said.

Kratos looked at the dwarf, studying him.

"Let the record show that Dirk agreed with me."

"Just once, pretty boy."

"I'll take that."

As Zelos popped one of the champagne bottles and began to pour glasses, the groomsmen congregated around the dining table.

"What time is it?" Lloyd asked, fidgeting with his hands.

"About 10:30. Four hours until..." Neil trailed off.

"That's really soon."

"Getting cold feet?" Zelos teased.

"No!"

"It's cool. That's why you need some liquid courage!"

"Don't worry. I'm sure Colette is nervous too." Genis chimed in, elbowing his best friend. The half elf had managed to comb down his unruly hair and slick it to the left. Though Kratos wondered if Genis had done that or with his sister's help.

"You're probably right."

"Why are you all sweaty?"

"Kratos and I were sparring."

"You would."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Okay, enough of that." Zelos interrupted and took up a glass. Each followed his action. "To Lloyd!"

"To Lloyd!"

Glasses clinked together and silence followed as they drank.

With a side glance, Kratos saw Genis quickly down his glass. The teenager caught his eye, and his face crinkled into guilt. The angel shrugged. He thought about sending Raine a message, but decided against it. It was too late anyway since the teen had guzzled it down.

Regardless of Genis' transgression, the man wanted to send her a message. Share with her the morning activities.

But there was no reason to do so. She had not provoked a conversation, and there was no reason for him to do so.

"So _Best Man_ , are you ready to give your speech?" Zelos eyed Genis.

"Yeah. It's gonna be awesome." The half elf winked at Lloyd.

"We'll see about that."

"What's that mean?"

"You don't have stage presence, kid."

"And you do? Just cause you think you have 'game' or whatever, doesn't mean you're good at public speaking."

"What are you talking about?! Of course I have game!"

"Now that you're not the Chosen, you can't catch a break."

"You don't know that, brat."

"And anyway, the person you want a date wit—"

"Why you litt—"

While the others resumed conversation and the argument consumed the human and half-elf, an urge to be alone overtook Kratos and the angel exited the home. With thoughts swirling around in his head about a certain half elven woman, he wished for quiet to sort through them, push them away, and clear his mind. He strode towards Anna's grave, a somberness settling over him like a dark cloud. In four hours, Lloyd would embark on the next chapter of his life. And Anna wouldn't see it.

An image of Raine came unbidden to him, filling up the forefront of his mind as his eyes focused on the gray headstone. He couldn't consider such things knowing it would dishonor Anna's memory.

"I wish she was here too. I wish she could meet Colette."

Kratos turned to see Lloyd, a sorrowful look on his face.

"She would have liked Colette."

"You think so?"

The angel nodded.

"Kratos..."

"Hmm?"

"Um, this is kinda weird..."

The angel said nothing, waiting.

"Ugh okay...have you thought about...you know...dating?"

Pause.

"No."

"Why not?"

"It would not be right to your mother."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"That's not a reason."

"Why are you asking me this?"

Lloyd cast his eyes downward, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

"I just don't want you to be alone."

"I'm fine."

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Unimpressed, Kratos crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm just saying. If you wanted to, I'd be okay with it. I think she'd be too."

The angel turned to the tombstone, silent.

"I'm gonna head back inside. Coming?"

"In a few minutes."

"K."

As he heard the receding footsteps, Kratos meditated on his son's words. It was a kindness. A kindness the Seraphim did not deserve. Anna would have been proud of Lloyd.

Though he was not one for religion, the man whispered a prayer and walked towards the house and the nosies of revelry and excitement. It would not do to dwell on things he could not change. It was Lloyd's day after all.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Raine asked as she finished texting the stage vendor.

"Alright."

Looking up at the bride, Raine couldn't help but smile. Seated in front of the older woman's vanity, Colette looked the part of perfection. Her hair was pulled upward into a ponytail with a pearl-encrusted band, a cascade of blond curls falling behind her neck like the twisted icicles. Pink powder dusted across her cheek bones complimented with the same pink shade on her lips, giving her a the signature color of tulips in the springtime. The paint around her eyes, a sky blue on a summer day, matched the shade of her own irises. If she willed her wings into existence, she would resemble the mythical image of an angel.

The young woman shifted in her seat, biting her lip as she stared at her reflection. The half elf walked towards her charge and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay to be nervous. It's a big step."

"What if I can't do it?"

"All you need to do is walk down the aisle and say 'I do'."

"No, not that."

"Then what?"

"What if it all goes terribly? What if we..."

The unspoken words hung in the air and Raine saw the growing fear in the ex-Chosen's wide eyes.

"Unfortunately, this is one of those times you will never have a guarantee. There is no point in worrying about such things. If you ever come to that bridge, you will deal with it then."

Silent, the young woman nodded, unconvinced

"From everything I have seen, I am certain you and Lloyd will be fine." Raine added. This was one of those times to be diplomatic; it was easy though, as the half elf believed her words.

A small, hopeful smile appeared on Colette's face.

"Thanks, Professor."

The door to Raine's bedroom burst open and the rest of the bridesmaids clamored in, dressed head to toe in their finery: the pastel pink, strapless mermaid dresses Colette had picked out. Raine shuddered: her eyes were glued to the bows stuck in the center of the waists. Each woman looked akin to a wrapped present. If the bow was not there, the dress itself would have been elegant. But with the extra decoration, it made the dress undesirable to wear for any other occasion.

Taking a closer look, Raine noticed each woman's unique makeup color palette: Sheena's was purple, Chocolat's brown, Presea's dark blue, and Aisha's light green. Each had her hair braided in a half up, half down fashion, paired with a quartz necklace and sapphire earrings.

With Colette's attention on her bridesmaids, the half elf looked into the mirror and sighed. In the same fashion, her hair was half up, half down and she also wore a quartz necklace and sapphire earrings. But her makeup was a combination of grays, generating a smoky quality around the her eyes. Her cheeks were painted lightly with rouge and her lips matched with an enticing red. If she were being honest with herself, she looked rather pretty. Her eyes flicked to the bow on her own dress. It looked fine on the other women. However, it was much too young for her. The half elf felt silly wearing the dress and did not look forward to others seeing her in it. Especially _him_.

But it did not matter how she felt. This was Colette's day.

"You look beautiful." Sheena grinned, taking the bride's hands in her own, her raven hair tumbling over her shoulders.

"Really?"

"Of course!" Chocoloat interjected, proudly holding two bottles of champagne in her hands.

Raine looked at the bottles but said nothing. Perhaps a little bubbles would take the edge off for the bride.

And her.

Kratos skirted across her mind and rivers of anxiety and disappointment streamed through her. The exchange last night had ended rather awkwardly; even the memory caused her to shudder. Facing him today would most certainly be awkward.

Though that would not be an issue. The woman had resolved to avoid him as much as possible. And when not able to, attempt to only engage him when in a group. She would be cordial and friendly, but that would be it. Usually, Raine was not one to avoid confrontation. If there was a problem, she believed it was best dealt with head on and immediately. But this was a different type of situation, if she could even call it that. It was...unsettling.

"You're gonna knock Lloyd's socks off." The Maid of Honor winked at her best friend, pulling her out of the chair.

Colette giggled.

"Time for champagne!" Chocoloat said.

"Oh no, I don't think—" The ex-Chosen's eyes widened.

"No thinking! Just drinking!"

"Not too much," Raine cautioned.

"Just one glass." Sheena promised.

As the bottle was opened and glasses were passed around, Raine wondered what the groomsmen were up to. Certainly they had less of a beauty routine to ready themselves for the big affair. If things were different, she would have contacted the angel to find out and perhaps share the events of her morning.

"To Colette!" Chocolat called out.

"To Colette!"

A round of cheers filled the air and they drank the bubbly liquid. Closing her eyes, the woman savored the feeling of the champagne trickling down her throat. If this were to calm Colette's nerves, hopefully it would silence the older woman's as well.

As the conversation progressed, Raine looked down at her holocom. No messages. A current of dismay passed through her. But it was an irrational wish. There was no reason for him to send her a message.

That didn't change that it would be nice to have one.

"So Colette, are you ready for tonight?" Chocolat said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Colette's cheeks filled with pink. "Um..."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Sheena assured, glaring at the inquisitor.

"Of course it will be. Lloyd's a virgin too." A tidbit shared during the game of truth or dare.

"Do you have any advice, Raine?" Aisha asked cautiously.

All eyes turned to the older woman and she exhaled. She'd anticipated such a question, and had deftly avoided disclosing much about her first encounter during the game at the bachelorette party. Tersely, Raine had confessed it had been with a human man not too long after she and Genis had settled in Iselia. He was a merchant passing through town and had caught her eye. Of course, the resulting tryst had been fairly awkward — it being her first time — and the next day, he'd left.

Lucky for her, the young women hadn't asked about the second time, as they did not know it existed. That one had been more than a single evening of passion. His name was Michal and he was also a visitor to town; a cousin of one of her student's parents. Although her only education about sex came from the novels she'd read since her encounter with the merchant, those words translated into her technique. Michal had said he very much enjoyed the physical intimacy, and the half elf had no reason to think he was lying considering the many times it had happened after the first rendezvous. That relationship itself was quiet and contained, lasting only for a few months. And then he disappeared. After five months, she stopped shedding tears into her pillow late at night —so that Genis wouldn't hear her — but the memories remained.

Another reason to not encourage her growing attraction to Kratos.

"No matter what, things will be awkward your first time." Raine said. Colette's eyes expanded in fright. "But that doesn't mean it will be terrible. In fact, I suggest the two of you laugh when things feel awkward and strange. It is a bonding experience, physically and spiritually. Sharing your mutual nervousness will ease your mutual anxiety."

Heads nodded, the expressions of the younger women thoughtful.

"That's pretty good advice actually. I'll keep that in mind." Chocolat said.

"You're so wise, Raine." Aisha agreed.

The woman shook her head.

An energetic melody burst through the air. Raine checked her holocom: 14:30pm.

"Alright. It's time to go."

"Yes! This is so exciting!" Aisha exclaimed.

"Are you ready?" Presea asked the bride. She nodded.

As the bridesmaids filled the air with reassuring words, Raine exited the home to see two carriages awaiting them. Both were circular, like pumpkins. One was an ivory color, while the other was navy. After sharing a few words with the drivers, the half elf strode back into the house.

"The carriages are here. Aisha and Chocolat, will you hold Colette's train? I will help her get in."

As they made their way outside, Colette walked forward and ascended the small steps of the ivory carriage and attempted to get in, the many layers of taffeta making it a struggle for her. Moving to the other side and climbing in, Raine deftly helped push the folds of fabric inside, taking care to make sure none ripped. Settling Colette into the plush seat, the half elf arranged the skirts around the bride in an orderly fashion. The ex-Chosen had chosen a ballgown with an off-the-shoulder neckline, making her look exactly like a princess from a fairytale.

"There we go. Sheena and Presea, ride with Colette. Aisha, Chocolat, and I will take the next carriage."

The ninja and pink-haired girl climbed into the carriage. As the carriage began to move, the remaining three climbed into the second carriage and were on their way.

Chocolat and Aisha chattered about the upcoming ceremony, the tones of their voices reaching higher registers than normal as they wondered what the groomsmen were doing and how many people would be in attendance. Instead of joining in, Raine stared out the window, her mind elsewhere. Soon, they would be at the wedding site. Though she tried desperately, the half elf couldn't deny it. She wanted to see him.

However, recalling the memories of Michal, her heart shivered. Although she was frustrated Kratos would leave, it was for the best. Suffering the disappointment of another failed relationship was not something she wanted to experience again.

And yet...

* * *

Once commenced, the wedding unfolded just as rehearsed. Though the bride's party arrived fifteen minutes late, causing Lloyd a huge amount of anxiety — Kratos considered texting Raine to ask about their status, but instead suggested Zelos check with Sheena — the rest of the ceremony proceeded as planned. The music began, and a sweet melody from the harpist and violinist filled the air. First, the flower girl skipped down the aisle, throwing rose petals in her wake, followed by the bridesmaids, the first of which was Raine.

His eyes stuck to her figure when she appeared.

She looked beautiful.

Although he never doubted she would. As the half elf glided down the path, taking her predetermined spot at the front, he studied her, ignoring the rest of the procession. He liked the way her hair was fashioned and how the dress clung to her figure.

The memory of her body against his pulsed through his anatomy. With a clenched jaw, he stamped it out.

Turning his eyes back towards the wedding, the angel saw Colette was now at the front, Frank taking her hand and passing it to Lloyd. Both bride and groom wore wide smiles, unable to contain their mutual joy. As they ascended the stairs to the platform where the minister awaited them, Kratos thought of Anna. They had never had this chance to be properly married, though from the moment they'd escaped and she told him of her pregnancy, he considered her nothing less than his wife.

"Dearly Beloved. We are gathered here today to join these two, Colette Brunel and Lloyd Irving, in holy matrimony." The Minister said and continued, "Over the years, you have witnessed the growth and development of their relationship through both the good times and bad. Now, they are ready to take the next step together, embarking on a journey that will last for the rest of their lives."

The Minister carried on and Kratos watched as his son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law grasp each other's hands, eyes gazing into one another's. A small smile appeared on his face; their happiness was infectious. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small movement. The angel shot a glance in Raine's direction, but her gaze was squared on Colette and Lloyd. He could have sworn she had glanced at him.

"At this time, if there is anyone who wishes to speak against the union of these two, do so now or forever hold your peace."

Silence greeted the statement. Of course there would be no one. Besides, if there were, Kratos was prepared to take matters into his own hands.

"Good. Now, I invite the groom to read his vows."

Lloyd pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and held it in front of him. From his seat, Kratos could see the young man's hands tremble as he began to read. "Colette. You've been my best friend for a long time. Longer than I can remember. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do with you and can't imagine my life without you. I can't wait to see your smile in the morning, or hear your laugh during the day. You always support me, and I'm really thankful I get to spend my time with you. I love you and I promise to always protect you."

Swallowing, Lloyd put the vows back in his pocket. Tears brimmed in the corners of Colette's eyes, and she brushed them away.

"Now, the bride may say her vows."

From behind her, Presea took a step and offered the bride a folded note. With a whisper of thanks, the bride exchanged the bouquet she held for the piece of paper. Turning back, Colette met Lloyd's eyes and then began to read.

"Lloyd. You've been there for me always. Through the difficult times and the happy times. You're the most special person I know and I can't say how much you mean to me. I was so happy when you followed us to Triet and told me you wanted to help. I heard your words when I couldn't say or feel anything; you made me feel like I wasn't alone. I...I admired your determination to merge the worlds and I was so happy when you said you didn't want me to go alone. I love you. And always will."

Lloyd's jaw dropped and she giggled. Handing the paper back to Presea, the blonde took up the bouquet once more and winked at the groom, who blushed.

"Do we have the rings?" The Minister asked.

Roger appeared in a flash, holding up the pillow on which sat the wedding bands.

Lloyd slipped the gold ring onto Colette's finger and she did the same. Their hands held one another, unwilling to part during this spiritual bonding.

"Do you, Lloyd, take Colette as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

"Do you, Colette, take Lloyd as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

"Then, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Delicately, Lloyd pulled up Colette's veil and leaned towards her. Hastily, she closed the distance and her lips met his. Surprised, the young man blinked, then closed his eyes, bringing her into an embrace and melting into the kiss. After a moment they pulled away and the guests began to cheer, both bride and groom turning a beet red at the attention.

Shyly, Colette and Lloyd walked down the path, hand in hand. The bridal party began to follow: first Presea and Genis, followed by Sheena and Zelos, then Linar and Aisha, Neil and Chocolat, and finally Raine and Regal.

Something grumbled in Kratos' stomach as he watched the final two walk down the aisle together, arm in arm.

But as the half elven woman passed Kratos, she met his eyes and smiled. The negativity in him disappeared, replaced by a simple warmth, which he proceeded to push away. These were things that did not need support and validation.

Guests rose from their seats and began to mill about, eventually making their way towards the carriages that waited to transport them to the reception at _Il Mare,_ another highly regarded restaurant in town. However, the wedding party headed towards the single oak knoll twenty feet away from the wedding site. There, a young man was setting up a camera and some lighting equipment. Kratos had forgotten there were pictures to be taken and followed Dirk, Frank and Phaidra.

In her usual, commanding manner, Raine directed who would be in which shots. Soon, various combinations of the wedding party were standing in front of the camera. First was the groomsmen. Six different configurations were made, each with their own set of eight to ten pictures of smiling, laughing, and general silliness. Next were the bridesmaids. They too shuffled through different positions, Raine included, as the photographer snapped pictures. When encouraged to do silly ones, Kratos watched the half elf as she grimaced. Her eyes darted over to his; he smirked and she glared back.

After a few group pictures of the groomsmen and the bridesmaids, the rest of the wedding party was dismissed as the only pictures left were the family pictures and the newlyweds alone. As Raine supervised, Colette took multiple shots with her father and grandmother. The bride glowed as she held onto her father's arm, and then hugged her grandmother. The photographer kept shooting between the posed shots, in accordance to Raine's insistence to capture candid moments as well.

A few minutes later, it was his turn with Lloyd and Dirk. Hesitant, the angel hung back. He did not want to intrude on Dirk and Lloyd's moment together.

The dwarf and young man walked to the spot where Colette and her family previously occupied. The photographer advised them how to pose, and began clicking away. The two posed moderately well, following Raine's directions. Then, as the photographer was changing the lens, father and son began talking. They laughed, talked, and hugged with such ease.

Kratos wished that that same ease of interaction could translate to his relationship with Lloyd. But that was impossible.

"Your turn."

The voice brought him back to the present and he looked to see Dirk next to him. Nodding, the angel walked over to his son, who stood with his hands tucked into his pockets, positively jubilant.

"Ready for this?"

"Sure."

Stifling a laugh, Lloyd gave his father a knowing glance. A small smile crawled onto the older man's lips. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad. They stood side by side as the photographer shot a few photos, engaging in a small conversation about the awkwardness of pictures.

"Um...sir? You look very...stern."

He looked in the direction of the photographer and saw Raine smirk behind the camera. He returned it with a scowl.

"I wasn't thinking that..." The photographer said.

She turned away, smothering a laugh.

"Hey...Dad?"

Cautiously, he turned to his son. It was always a surprise when Lloyd used that moniker. Some spec of happiness bloomed inside him as he met the young man's eyes.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for being here."

"Of course."

"No, really. I know you didn't have to, so thank you." Lloyd hesitated and continued, "I'm gonna...miss you when you leave."

Silent, the angel nodded. A powerful emotion overwhelmed him, closing his throat, rendering him speechless.

"Alright, we got it!"

Startled, Kratos looked back towards the photographer, the intimate moment broken by the shout.

"Okay, now just the bride and groom."

"See you at the reception." His son winked as Colette walked over. The groom took her hand and they began speaking quickly, a cadence only the two of them knew and understood.

Confused, the angel turned and began to follow Frank, Phaidra and Dirk to a waiting carriage. Embroiled in his thoughts, the angel heard Lloyd's words echo in his head.

His son was going to... _miss him_. Had he heard correctly? Considering the lack of time they had spent together overall, it left him incredulous. Never in a thousand years had he believed he would hear those words from Lloyd.

And yet he had.

His gut clenched together as his heart twisted in turmoil. For the last twenty-some years, the angel believed he had to atone for his mistakes for following Mithos in his horrible crusade, for the death of Anna and the loss of his son. However, now presented with this opportunity to get to know his son, could he truly pass it by?

Was this divine intervention, absolving him of his crimes?

His hands shook and he tucked them into his pockets, hiding it from any onlookers.

Was leaving truly the right course of action? Would it be a mistake?

As the carriage pulled away, the angel's mind descended into a sea of doubt and questions, forceful emotions blocking all efforts to find a logical answer. As he attempted to sort through the various feelings and thoughts, a small whisper breezed through his head. He rejected the idea, though it returned, nagging. Once more, the angel rebuffed the possible solution, and once again it reappeared, only this time stronger. Urgent.

Adrenaline rushed through his body, tensing his muscles and constricting his chest, though he was careful to keep his face completely neutral in the presence of Colette's family and Dirk.

If seeking Raine's advice was the only way to find clarity, so be it. It would be nothing more than a conversation of peers. He would see to that.

And yet he could not get the image of her in the pink dress out of his head.

* * *

"Announcing Mister and Missus Irving!" Zelos cried at the top of his lungs.

The party guests jumped up from their seats and applause reverberated off the walls, a few shouts and excited hollers accompanying the welcoming noises. Bride and groom entered arm-in arm, their faces pinked in bashfulness for the 'nth' time that day. Across the room, Raine observed from the bridal party's table. As the newlyweds made their way through the crowd, the other bridesmaids, save for Presea and Raine, squealed and rushed Colette, bouncing up and down and hugging her in congratulations. Lloyd himself was surrounded by his groomsmen, shaking hands, and being subjected to too many pats on the back.

Sheena took Colette's hands and led her to an empty seat at the middle of the table, which had a view of the tables scattered across the ballroom filled with friends and family. Next to the blonde, Frank leaned over and whispered in her ear. Her face brightened and she wrapped her arms around her father. Raine smiled; it was wonderful to see her former student so joyful.

Conversely, Dirk had pulled his son away from the groomsmen, who began to take their seats. The father and son were exchanging words that could only be described as affectionate in the way that Dirk knew how (he was gruff, but when the time was right, he knew how to express his feelings). Finally, the dwarf took his seat, and Lloyd headed to where Colette was, taking the seat next to her.

The half elf swept her eyes over the row. All the seats were filled except one; the one next to Dirk was vacant.

 _Kratos._

Where was he?

The program was about to start and she furrowed her brow as she took her place between Phaidra and Presea. Lloyd would not want his biological father to miss his wedding reception. Nor would Colette.

She ought to text him.

 _No._

It wasn't her business where the angel went and what he did.

But the half elf didn't want him to miss it either. After all, the only reason he was here was to see Lloyd tie the knot.

Folding her lips into a grim line, the half elf pulled out her holocom. As Zelos began to MC the evening with a series of jokes that fell flat, Raine's fingers flew over the tiny keyboard.

 _Where are you?_

She clicked the send button. And immediately hated herself.

Looking up, the woman squeezed the holocom in her right hand as her heart started to pound. What if he didn't respond? And didn't care to?

It buzzed.

Eyes darted downward. _Wedding gift._

Detailed as ever.

 _The reception is starting._

 _I will be there soon._

Fine. If he was going to be mysterious, she wouldn't worry about the matter anymore and tucked her holocom in her purse. She'd done her job to inform him. Besides, her wedding responsibilities were all but fulfilled. The guests had been transported from the wedding site to the reception without mishap (not counting the one carriage that broke down). All the vendors had followed through on their obligations. The catering service was prepared for the evening. Yuan was on guest and security duty. Everything was running smoothly.

The half elf could finally relax.

Or at least attempt to do so.

Within a few more minutes, Zelos' speech came to an end. Across the ballroom, the woman's eyes spotted a figure pass through the doorway and quietly close it.

"Looks like we've got food! Enjoy folks!"

The ex-Chosen sat down as the waiters began to place plates in front of each guest. Under her eyelashes, Raine watched as Kratos took his seat next to Dirk. The tuxedo coat hung loosely on him, and his hands were in his pockets, just like they were during the photo session that morning. Even then he had looked calm, casual, aloof.

And effortlessly handsome. Too handsome.

 _Stop._

"Presea. How are you? I feel as though I haven't had a chance to talk with you this whole time."

"I am happy that Ozette's rebuilding is moving along." The girl said, her face rather blank despite the emotion she described.

"Regal told me some exciting developments have happened in the past few days."

"Yes. We finally have permission to finish the last of the renovations to town. Hopefully, this will help the villagers resume their normal lives."

"Congratulations. It is a big achievement as the project has been extensive."

"I look forward to the project being finished."

"What will you do after?"

"No, I haven't considered that yet. I realize I should soon though." Presea tilted her head to the side, her face assuming an expression of contemplation.

Plates were set in front of them, and they began to eat. As they cleared their plates, Zelos stood again and took up the mic. Raine was starting to regret giving him the opportunity to MC the reception.

"Now it's time for the first dance. If we could get the lovely bride and groom out on the dance floor..."

Embarrassed, Colette and Lloyd rose from their seats. Lloyd took Colette's hand and led her to the dance floor. As they assumed a dancing position, a woman's voice floated on the top of a blissful melody. Together, the newlyweds swayed from side to side, blushing and whispering to each other. Raine smiled and swept her eyes over the band situated on the opposite wall from the buffet table. The live music was a nice touch.

Finally the song came to an end, and another round of applause broke out.

"Now let's get the father-of the bride up here."

The half elf's stomach clench. The woman knew there was supposed to be a mother-son dance as well, but with Lloyd motherless, she cut it from the program without telling anyone. The last thing she wanted was an awkward moment for the groom at his own wedding.

After a few minutes, Colette and Frank's dance came to an end. They walked off the dance floor, arm in arm, whispering to each other. It seemed the bride was getting everything she wanted.

"Now everyone can join in! Food's gonna still come though, so don't ignore that. But make sure you save room for cake later." Zelos's voice rang out.

"He's really terrible at this." Sheena whispered to Presea.

"It is strange. He is usually charismatic."

"At least Colette and Lloyd don't mind."

"I don't think they even notice," Chocolat snickered.

The older woman was about to interject when she felt the slight tap of a finger on her shoulder.

"Raine."

A gasp escaped her lips as the sound of the voice ignited a surge of adrenaline through her. Controlled, she turned and looked straight into those dark, brown eyes.

"It seems you made it."

"I did." He paused. She could see a question in his eyes; something he was uncertain of whether to ask. Then he opened his mouth: "Would you care to dance?"

It took every ounce of self control to keep her from widening her eyes in surprise. The last thing she wanted was to be embarrassed, especially in front of him. Instead, she said cooly, "You are aware I don't know how."

"But I do. However, if you do not wish to, I will leave."

Hesitating, the woman shook her head. If anything, it would be good practice. "Alright."

Standing, Raine placed her hand in his proffered one and he escorted her to the dance floor. The skin to skin contact made her muscles tense; she could feel callouses on his strong hands and the thin structure of his fingers. This had not been a good idea. But it was too late to back out without appearing rude.

Then he placed his hand in the middle of her back.

A shiver of pleasure swam through her, and she fought to keep her face indifferent.

As they began to spin around the room, the half elf found the angel guiding her where she needed to go and her worry dissipated. He was an excellent dancer; there was no question of where to place her foot, or which way to angle herself as they span around, passing other couples. In fact, she found it becoming increasingly easier to follow his non-verbal cues, and soon he began turning her to the outside as well as inside.

Gliding around the room, Raine felt as if she were floating on air. She looked at Kratos, observing the fine, straight lines of his profile. They locked eyes for a few moments before he turned his gaze turned away, making certain they would not collide with any other dancers. Blushing, the half elf too swept her gaze to the front, concentrating on spinning under his arm as he lead her to do so. Inwardly, the woman hoped he would not see the scarlet of her cheeks under the rouge she already wore. She found it increasingly difficult to maintain an attitude of nonchalance. The endorphins themselves were reason enough to bring a smile to her face. But she knew the joy originated from a different reason.

The song came to an end and transitioned into a slow ballad.

With no pause between the two songs, the angel slowed their turn and moved in a few inches towards her. To her relief, there was still adequate distance between their bodies to not be intimate. But still close enough that Raine felt herself stiffen at the proximity. Her pulse quickened as he focused his eyes on hers. The end of the song couldn't come too soon.

Pushing down the anxiety, Raine cleared her throat.

"Are you enjoying the wedding?"

"Yes. It has been well executed."

Was that a thinly veiled compliment?

"I'm glad Lloyd and Colette are enjoying themselves."

"I assume your responsibilities have come to an end."

"Yes."

"You sound relieved."

"I am ready for a small break before I return to work."

"When will you go back?"

"Most likely in the next three days. I am taking tomorrow and the next day for myself."

Kratos nodded.

Pause.

"Now I understand."

"What?" She asked, curious.

"The bow."

Raine glowered, pursing her lips.

"I told you not to laugh."

"I'm not."

"But you're teasing."

Kratos' eyes glinted with laughter, though no sound passed his lips.

"Perhaps. It doesn't change the truth."

"Which is?"

She watched as he fell silent. Her heart stilled in her chest, the anticipation of what he would say causing butterflies to flap wildly in her stomach. After a moment, he said, "You look beautiful."

Her heart leapt and she swallowed, her eyes darting away from his.

"Thank you."

Though Raine wished to return the compliment about his own appearance, she held her tongue. It would do no good to dig herself further into this hole. Instead, the woman inquired, "Where did you learn to dance?"

"During my time as a knight. It was required."

"That seems odd."

"On the contrary, it was standard practice. Especially as knights were always in attendance at royal functions."

"Did you attend many of those? Balls and such?"

"Too many."

"Kratos not a fan of parties? I would have never thought such a thing."

He raised an eyebrow and she smiled smugly.

"Neither are you if memory serves me."

"That is true."

"And yet here you are. Coordinating a rather large wedding. Perhaps you are more of a people person than you give yourself credit for."

The half elf crinkled her nose. "Don't be so pleased with yourself."

"What gave you that notion?"

"I can see it in your eyes."

The music faded out and the hall was once again filled with the noises of conversations. Slowly, they came to a stop, though they did not release hands. As people moved on and off the dance floor, they remained in place.

She would allow herself a few more seconds in his arms. Just a few.

Why was it so easy to talk with him? Or banter? And yet there were times when they struggled to converse, she in her head and he in his. It was confusing. He was confusing. She had to put a stop to it.

To her relief, Zelos was waving her over ecstatically. Or urgently. She couldn't tell. It was time for the toasts.

"I am being summoned. Excuse me." Raine dropped her hands from his and began to walk away, but after two steps, she stopped, and turned. "Thank you for the dance. I...enjoyed it."

Directing herself towards the ex-Chosen, the half elf felt a tremble in each step that took her away from the angel. The feeling of his hands on her body...

Dancing had been a mistake.

"Zelos, go ahead and bring everyone's attention." She said as she reached him.

Eagerly, the ex-Chosen began to tap the champagne glass with his knife.

Then it shattered.

Glass shards littered the ground, glinting rainbows in the overhead lights. Raine covered her face, stifling a groan. It had been to much to hope for: there had to be one mishap during the course of the night. Selfishly, she hoped this would be the only one, though it was unlikely. As the evening progressed, so did the general intake of alcohol.

"Dammit! Sorry!"

"I'll clean it up." Raine shooed the redhead away.

As she turned to find a broom and dustpan, Regal stood in front of her, holding one. He smiled at her, an understanding expression drawn across his face. A gush of relief coursed through her.

"Thank you."

"Let me help you."

"It's alright. I can take care of it."

"I insist."

Acquiescing, the woman took a step to the side and watched as he swept the shards up. It was a kindness she much appreciated, especially as she felt her energy wane. Weariness had begun to set in her bones shortly after the pictures; it was as if her anatomy could sense the end was near and she could collapse into deep sleep without any repercussions.

"First, the father of the groom." Zelos called out.

Raine watched as Dirk stood, and cleared his throat, taking out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. Like father like son. Soon, his voice boomed through the hall, strong and resolute.

Next to her, she felt Regal stand. Turning, the half elf saw delicately took the dustpan and broom from him with a whisper of gratitude. Earnestly, she retreated from the bridal party table, wishing to be out of the spotlight.

Passing the kitchen, Raine caught sight of multiple waiters and waitresses running too and fro, collecting dessert plates and taking them out to the eagerly awaiting guests while others returned with empty plates ready to be washed and dried. Behind them, the cooks barked orders, cut berries furiously, and banged pots and pans together. Raine shook her head: she would never understand the science of cooking, though Genis called it an art instead.

After depositing the broom and dustpan in the maintenance closet, the half elf allowed a sigh to escape her lips. Her shoulders slumped a little. Her back met the wall in the corner of the ballroom and Raine watched as Dirk continued to speak, not registering his words. Her mind was in another place.

Her eyes flicked over to Kratos, who had resumed his seat.

Even looking at him brought out feelings she had last experienced almost a decade ago. It was disturbing how her body reacted to his voice and touch. Had she always been this quick to feel attraction?

"This is boring."

Eyes darting to her right, she spotted Yuan. The angel had his arms crossed and eyes narrowed, observing the scene with a certain aloofness.

"I am glad. If it were exciting, we would have many issues." Raine countered.

The angel rolled his eyes.

"A little excitement wouldn't kill anyone."

Silent, the half elf turned her attention back to the toast.

"What's going on between you and Kratos?"

She stiffened.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not blind."

"You two danced."

"And? Sheena and Zelos danced together and I doubt anything is happening between them."

That was a lie, but Yuan wouldn't know that.

"Something is bothering him."

"Why do you think that has to do with me?"

"It's my job to be observant." He flipped his ponytail behind his shoulder, the gesture one of arrogance.

"You don't think it's about Lloyd?"

"Are you denying it?"

She exhaled.

"We've had a disagreement."

"Is that it?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure why it's any of your business."

"It's not."

"Alright."

"I've just known him for 4000 years is all."

Sometimes Yuan was too much. Exasperated, the half elf looked him dead in the eye. "What do you want, Yuan?"

"It's the first time I've seen him confused in a long time."

"And that's a good thing?"

"The last time I saw him this way was with Anna."

 _Anna._

She did not respond, sweeping her gaze back to the toasts. She didn't trust herself to say anything at all.

"Interpret that as you will."

Yuan stalked away, looking for something else to occupy his attention.

The Maid-of-Honor was now giving her toast; Sheena said something that made the room bubble with laughter. But Raine did not hear her. She only heard Yuan's words repeating themselves in her mind.

She and Kratos had yet to broach the topic of Lloyd's mother, if it were ever to happen. Most likely not.

The woman wondered if he still hurt from her death. She hoped not.

Slowly, Raine turned her eyes back to the stern-faced angel, who sat straight, stern and forbidding. Briefly, the woman wondered if she would see him smile again before he left, no matter how small it was.

A frown graced her lips. Momentarily, the half elf had forgotten his inevitable departure. It didn't matter what Yuan said. Kratos was leaving and that was the end of the matter.

As she walked back towards the bridal party's table, a small part of her wished it weren't.

* * *

Finally, the evening came to a close. Guests began to exit the reception hall, ready to retire for the remainder of the evening. The angel swallowed as he neared the bride and groom, who were giving their thanks and good-byes to lingering guests.

He stood just outside the group of guests, awaiting for an opening to take his son aside. Since Lloyd's comments from the morning in addition to the confession during the photography session, Kratos struggled to find his resolve in leaving the next day.

The last persons began to drift away from the newlyweds and towards the exit, leaving Lloyd and Colette to their own devices. In the background, staff began to clean the area, folding up chairs, carrying in empty trays of food to the kitchen and so on.

"Lloyd."

The young man spotted Kratos and walked over, leaving Colette to her holocom, no doubt texting Sheena or Frank.

"Hey. What's up?"

The angel shifted to the side, a wave of uncertainty flowing through him.

"I wanted to say...thank you for including me today."

Lloyd brightened. "I'm just glad you came."

"And I wanted to give you this."

Out of his pocket, the older man proffered a small red box. A ring box.

Confused, his son took it gently and opened it. Inside was a ring: a golden diamond attached to a silver band inset with a carving of tree branches.

"This was your mother's ring. The ring I wished to give to her."

"Dad..." Lloyd's eyes widened.

"I know you and Colette already have wedding bands, but in Tethe'allan culture, it is customary to give your fiancée an engagement ring as well." He shrugged.

"Wow...are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Thanks, Dad. This means...a lot."

Kratos nodded and cleared his throat.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Lloyd nodded enthusiastically. "Deal."

Then the angel turned on his heel and headed out of the hall. Once more, confusion filled his head as he thought of Lloyd's exuberance. And once again his resolve to return to Derris-Kharlan faltered.

Now was the opportune time to seek her out.

Stars dotted the skies as he exited the restaurant. Guests boarded carriages while others walked back to their homes or the inn. The Seraphim glanced at his surroundings. She was nowhere in sight. Disappointment bubbled within him. She had already left.

There was no reason for her to stay behind now that the wedding had concluded. But something in him wished she had.

Pausing, Kratos considered his next move. Most likely she headed home. He set off in that direction, walking faster than normal. He had to catch her before she retired for the night. Otherwise, there was little chance he would see her before he left.

That would not be ideal for multiple reasons.

Thoughts circled through his mind; he wasn't entirely sure what he would say. He was certainly not used to asking for help. And he wasn't even sure she would help him. But he had to try.

In the streetlight, just a few feet ahead, Kratos saw a head of silver hair gleam under the blue light.

"Raine."

She stopped and turned. As he came towards her, his eyes looked into hers; there was an unreadable look swirling in the icy depths. It made him uneasy.

"Yes? What is it?" Her voice formal.

"I need to speak with you."

"Could it wait until tomorrow? I'm exhausted."

"It's about Lloyd."

Her composure changed; the mystery in her eyes disappearing in place of concern.

"Is he alright?"

"Yes, he's fine. It's..."

Silence.

Raising an eyebrow, she observed him. It was difficult to maintain complete stillness under her scrutiny.

"Having second thoughts about leaving? Did he say something to you that's making you reconsider?"

"Yes."

"So forthcoming."

Kratos glowered at her but she leveled her gaze. The gray around her eyes only made her presence more commanding. Hesitating, he said, "He said he would...miss me."

Her eyes widened. She hadn't expected that. Neither had he but it had happened. "That's quite an emotional declaration. And now you're conflicted."

He nodded. This is why he had come to her. The way her mind worked, drawing conclusions and generating inferences from even a small amount of evidence was impeccable.

"I'm assuming you're here to ask my advice?"

"Yes."

That among other things. But he knew better than to pursue those.

"What do you want, Kratos?" Raine asked. "I mean, what do you really want out of life?"

He was silent, contemplating her question.

"And to follow-up: when were you the happiest? And why?"

Once again, he did not respond, unsure of how to begin to answer that question.

"You've lived for so long. Surely if you reflect on your experiences, you will come to a conclusion. I think if you can answer those questions, you will figure out what to do."

Though the idea was simple, it weighed heavy on his mind.

As his eyes cascaded over her features, they settled on her red lips. Various thoughts attempted to invade his focus, but he refused to be determined and brought his gaze back to her eyes and those icy depths.

"What do you want, Raine?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity."

Foldering her lips together, the half elf rolled her eyes to the upper right in contemplation. After a moment, her eyes found his once more.

"I thought I knew. But now...I'm not so sure."

"What happened?"

"My whole life has been mothering Genis. What if I let go?" Raine looked at him slyly. "I suppose I have you to thank for this existential crisis."

"Forgive me."

"Never."

He did a double take, alarmed, but saw the mischief in her smile.

"But in all seriousness, had you never posed the question, I would have never asked it of myself. At least, not for the next six years." She brushed an errant lock of hair over her shoulder.

"When have you been the happiest?"

"You are asking very personal questions."

"I apologize. I did not mean to overstep."

"It's fine." Raine sighed. "Unfortunately, I don't have an answer to that question either. I would have to give that some thought."

He nodded. Silence settled over them as they found the topic finished and the conversation at a stand still.

"I guess this is goodnight then." She said.

So it was. He didn't wish it to be but there was no justifiable way to continue their time together other than admitting something he would not.

"When are you leaving, should you choose to do so?" The half elf asked, looking up at him from under her lashes.

His jaw clenched.

"I haven't determined that."

"Alright. Then I'm sure I will see you at some point tomorrow."

"Yes."

"Well, goodnight then."

"Goodnight, Raine."

Pivoting, the woman resumed her course down the path towards her home.

His heart thumped in his chest.

"Raine." He called, her name out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Yes?" She turned back quickly, looking at him expectantly.

What could he say? There was noth—

"Do you know when Lloyd and Colette depart tomorrow?"

"Oh." Raine said. "Early afternoon I believe."

"Thank you." Kratos said. "Goodnight then."

"Goodnight." She spun around and left, leaving him standing under the blue light.

Cursing, the angel veered towards the inn, avoiding the light of the street lamps, choosing the evening darkness to cover the anger now etched across his face. Why had he not simply said goodnight the first time and left it at that? What was the point of delaying her departure?

There was no point. It was all based on...feelings. Things that were uncontrollable, volatile, and illogical. And following the lead of these emotions was senseless and would only lead to disappointment. For either party. That he was certain of.

Raine had her life, and Kratos his. It was best left at that.

And no definitive action had been taken to evolve their friendship to something more.

He faltered as the thought came and went, passing so quickly through his head that he had not the chance to dispose of it before it materialized. A tremble traveled through his body, sending his stomach into a free fall.

Did he want that? Did he want things to be different between them?

Regardless, he didn't have any concrete evidence that she held the same inclination other than his instincts. And from his 4000 years of observing people.

When the man reached the door of the inn, he shook his head. He could not consider these 'what ifs' when there was a more pressing matter at hand: his departure in relation to his son. Though she now occupied his mind for different reasons, Kratos knew he needed to think on the questions that Raine had posed to him.

As he walked inside and took the stairs, his mind mulled over the last time he had truly been happy. That was simple: with Anna. And then having Lloyd enter his life, both as a baby and teenager years later. But before that? Memories from his life before the Great Kharlan War were fuzzy. The days themselves were unmemorable. But a few things still stood out amongst his years of memories: painting, sparring with his father, and studying mathematics though his father said there was no point in pursuing the subject, just like painting).

When his head hit the pillow, Kratos awaited the calm that sleep usually afforded. But sleep did not come readily to him that evening. It eluded him, as if a punishment for what he had denied.

* * *

Okay, so I lied. One more chapter. I promise. Then that's it!

Please leave your thoughts and reactions. I love them all.


	5. The Day After

The sun wasn't yet above the clouds when Kratos arrived at Iselia's northern gate. A slight breeze whistled through the air, singing as it passed his ears. Yawning, the angel swept his eyes over his surroundings: not a soul in sight. Curtains were drawn over the windows of many small houses; no sounds of interior movement reached his ears. It was still early for the villagers; he assumed only a few were beginning to rise from their beds.

Was Raine one of them?

The end of last night's conversation haunted the angel. It had all through the evening, leaving his sleep quality less than adequate. But a strong cup of black coffee had battled and overcome the tiredness he felt, speeding up his slower cognitive functions to a normal level.

"Kratos!"

Casually, he turned to see Yuan swaggering towards him, wearing a black vest upon a blue shirt over black slacks and knee-high brown leather boots. A definite contrast to Kratos' own casual dress consisting of a white shirt and navy jeans with a thin black jacket. With no formal occasion to attend, he felt no need to overdue on his appearance. It seemed the other angel did not have the same view.

"Ready?"

"For what?"

"We're going on a walk."

"Where?"

"Calm down. It's not far."

Narrowing his eyes, Kratos eyed his friend suspiciously.

"Patience. I know that's hard for you." Yuan sniffed.

"And you as well."

The half elf shrugged and headed through the gate and into the forest, Kratos following behind, unamused. A half an hour passed as they trekked through the trees, pushing past overgrown foliage and avoiding small animals that scampered in front of their feet. The footpath they followed was barely existent, disappearing from lack of use over the years. However, with each step he took, Kratos felt a glimmer of familiarity; somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he had come this way before.

As they passed a large, twisted oak tree, it hit him, and he faltered. His heart crunched in on itself, but he said nothing, continuing to follow the blue-haired man deeper and deeper into the wilderness.

Soon, the pair entered a clearing, the remnants of a stone building situated in very the center. Ivy had overgrown the rock walls, spreading across the structure and encircling it like a noose. The green leaves shone in the sunlight, taunting passersby to enter and uncover the secrets it held. The grass around the building had grown chaotically. The iron fence that protected the structure was rusted: orange bleeding over silver wires of the chain-linked fence.

They had arrived at the remains of the Iselia Human Ranch.

A rush of painful memories swarmed through his mind and he clenched his jaw.

"Why are we here?" Kratos growled.

"This is where you first met her, right?" Yuan responded casually, crossing his arms over his chest as he eyed the prison.

"As I said. Why are we here?"

Yuan jerked his head towards his friend's, eyes serious. "It's time for you to get this shit out of your system."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"What about Martel?"

Silence.

The half elf's face morphed from one of superiority into one of solemnity. Though the anger did not abate, Kratos waited for the answer to his challenge.

"You may not believe me, but it's over."

With skeptical eyes, Kratos scrutinized the Seraphim. Yuan had carried the memory of Martel with him for over 4000 years, the desire for vengeance. Even with the merging of the two worlds and a new World Tree, the human knew his friend still mourned the death of his betrothed. He couldn't fathom that Yuan had finally accepted her passing and moved on.

"How?"

"That's my business." Yuan snapped.

The two angels stared hard at one another, neither willing to yield, engaging in a silent contest of the wills. A minute passed, and then two.

Irritated, Yuan threw up his arms in the air. "Fine. The Journey was over. Yggdrasil was gone. Getting rid of exspheres and cleaning up the base were the only things I could do. I found her journals. And I went to the World Tree and saw Martel." He said flatly, without a shred of emotion. "Then I let go."

"What happened with the Summon Spirit?"

"Private."

Kratos didn't press. Whatever had occurred at the World Tree seemed to have been enough for the half elf to wrestle with his inner demons and put them to bed.

Yuan's gaze hardened. "I won't forget her if that's what you're asking."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Kratos asked.

"Would I ever lie about anything relating to her? Besides, I'm tired of watching you act like an idiot."

"It won't happen."

"No, you just won't try."

"Don't presume that you understand."

"I know better than anyone."

"Anna died because of me. Not because of a lunatic."

"Shortsighted and selfish as always. You're really outdoing yourself." Yuan retorted, resuming his usual haughtiness.

"Watch what you say." Kratos said, a flare of anger sparking to life in his eyes.

"I believed I didn't protect Martel when she took the knife meant for me. I would have done the same for her. It doesn't change that she sacrificed herself for me. She made a choice." The half elf's lips creased into a grim line. "Anna did the same."

"No. She was murdered. By my hands."

"Gods, I thought you were smart. Do I have to spell it out for you? Anna knew the consequences when she escaped with you. Wasn't she the one who asked you in the first place? That was _her_ decision. Are you mad at her for it? Do you resent her?"

Silence hung in the air between them, heavy with emotion.

No, Kratos was not. He could never be.

"I should have made a different choice."

"Maybe. Someone else would have killed her instead. Doesn't change the outcome."

The callous words sliced like a knife through Kratos, but truth was indifferent to emotion. The human shifted his gaze away, looking at the fortress that had once housed the woman he had loved. The memory of Anna's smile floated to him and his heart tugged in his chest.

"I will think on it."

"You're impossible."

Pause.

"If I'd had a child with Martel...consider yourself lucky." Yuan said, his voice low, dripping with bitterness.

Kratos turned to his friend, speechless, eyes slightly wider than normal. The half elf stared back, a mixture of anger and regret splashed across features. Then it was gone, replaced by a cold neutrality.

"I'm leaving. See you at the base."

Then the Seraphim stalked off, leaving Kratos friend to his thoughts.

* * *

There was a pounding on her door.

 _No. No. No._

Raine grabbed her pillow and held it on top of her head to drown out the sound.

But it continued, unrelenting.

She groaned. Today was her day off, to rest, to do anything she wanted, whether that was to lie in bed all day, eat lindenberries, drink tea, or read. Or all of those things. The half elf didn't plan to leave the house at all. Social contact was to be at a minimum.

Needless to say, this interruption was ill-timed.

The pounding persisted. Over and over again the sound reverberated through her bedroom. Raine growled an pulled herself up and out of bed. Flinging the door open, she glared sleepily at her younger brother. "Genis, what is it?"

"Um..."

"Spit it out."

"Jeez, you're grumpy."

"This _must_ be an emergency. Otherwise, I'm going back to bed."

"It is. Your holocom was ringing off the hook." The teenager handed his older sister the blue device, his messy, silver hair flopping side to side with the movement.

She had purposely left the holocom out of her room last night as to not be disturbed. Obviously, her plan had not worked. Tapping the screen, the young woman scrolled down the missed calls log. Her eyes widened. Each call was from DEAN DYER. Her boss.

 _Shit._

Raine redialed. "Dean. I apologize for missing your calls. What's going on?"

"Professor Kim has contracted a nasty flu. We need you back ASAP to cover her classes." His voice was pointed, terse. Probably annoyed that it had taken this long to get in touch with her.

The half elf closed her eyes in disappointment.

"I will be there in a few hours."

"Good."

The line went dead.

Covering her face with her hands, Raine sighed. It seemed her rest day would have to wait.

"What's wrong?" Her brother looked at her, his forehead creasing in concern.

"I need to go."

She turned back into her room.

"Wait, what?"

"Professor Kim is out sick at least for the next week. I need to sub her classes."

"Can't they just cancel them?" He asked as she dropped her suitcase onto the bed and began to pack up her things.

"Three weeks before final exams? I don't think so."

With only three professors in their department, it was a blow. And Professor Elsen had already booked a research trip for five days starting in the middle of the upcoming week. That meant Raine would be the only one in the office for what seemed a good portion of time, meaning she would have to cover ALL the classes.

The half elf swore under her breath. This was going to be quite a week.

"You're alright packing yourself?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it, sis." Genis said and twitched his nose. "I'm sorry you didn't get any time off."

"It's not your fault."

"I know, but still..."

"Would you mind making me breakfast?"

"Sure thing. One breakfast sandwich coming up!"

He dashed out of the doorway towards the kitchen. She smiled; his exuberance for cooking hadn't changed over the past few years. Secretly, Raine wondered if her younger brother would ever consider becoming a chef instead of a mathematician. He certainly had the skills for it.

As the woman changed from her pajamas into travel clothes, a simple, green long-sleeved shirt, blue sweatshirt and navy blue pants, Raine's mind ran over possible plans of action upon her arrival in Palmacosta. First, she would have to speak directly with Professor Elsen. Hunker down and finish her grading — thank goddess she only had two papers left — and then review Professor Kim's lesson plans for the week. And her own.

Looking upward at the clock on the right wall, Raine saw it was 9:15am. If she left now, she could be in the city somewhere between 14:00 and 15:30, depending on how fast she flew and how many stops she made.

With her duffle bag in hand, Raine walked into the kitchen. Genis handed her a small tupperware container: inside was a croissant layered with an egg, ham, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Exactly how she liked it. Lucky for her, her reihard had recently been outfitted with auto pilot mode. Though she did not use it often (she felt safer when she was in control), the half elf would now so she could eat while traveling.

"Thank you."

Genis nodded and escorted his sister outside the cabin. Heading straight for her flyer, she began to strap her bag to the back of the machine. The air was warm and she took a deep breath, savoring the feeling on her skin.

"Let me know when you get back to Palmacosta. Make sure to ride with Neil. If you don't, I will hear of it and I will not be happy."

"Okay." He rolled his eyes. After a pause, he said, "Raine?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you want to say good-bye?"

"If you wouldn't mind giving my good-byes to Colette and Lloyd, I'd appreciate it. I'm sure I'll see them after they return from their trip." The woman answered, wrestling with the cables around her bag. Why was this so complicated?

"That's not what I meant."

Raine momentarily paused, her fingers hovering in the air for a split second before finishing the harnessing. Her pulse quickened and she fought to keep her voice steady. The last thing she wanted was to have this discussion, especially when she was attempting to avoid any thoughts of the handsome angel, with his stern profile, low voice, and fierce eyes.

"I'm not sure what you're implying."

"Uh, yeah you do."

The half elf finished and turned, meeting her brother's eyes, her face a wash of blankness. Genis watched her, his expression both thoughtful and troubled.

"Let it be, Genis."

"Are we ever gonna talk about it?"

"I don't know."

"Well...i'm here if you want to."

"Thank you."

Walking over to him, Raine stopped and looked into her brother's big eyes. Although adolescence made him surly and occasionally unbearable, he was still her sweet baby brother underneath it all. She gave him a kiss on the forehead; he didn't squirm to her surprise.

"I'll see you in a couple days."

"Text me when you get there." Genis said.

"Of course."

Raine pulled herself up and sat on the metal of her aircraft, pleasantly warmed by the sunbeams. Giving Genis one last wave, the woman gunned the engine and darted upward into the sky. Quickly glancing behind her, she watched Iselia grow smaller and smaller as she sped away. A sense of loss pervaded her heart and she rotated her gaze back to the blue that awaited her. Was it only a week ago when she'd arrived in the tiny village, prepping for one of the most important events of her life? And now it was over. Done with. It seemed like the days had passed in a blink of an eye. So much had happened...

Casting her eyes above, the half elf examined the cloud layer that barricaded the heights she had traversed two nights ago. The memory of Kratos' strong arms holding her percolated through her body and she shivered. He had brought her closer to the heavens in such an intimate manner. For a moment, the woman thought the gesture had been one more than friendship. Unfortunately, there had never been any direct sign of such an inclination after that.

Last night though, when Kratos had stopped her for a second time, she had hoped he would say something, anything to see if he felt an inkling of what she did. But instead he had asked her about the newlyweds. A logical question. Not one out of the ordinary, but not what she had wanted to hear. And the woman had gone home crestfallen, comforting herself by looking forward to her lazy day.

The man had affected her more than she had imagined, physically and emotionally.

Passing through a lower cloud and settling into a comfortable speed, the half elf turned on auto pilot and retrieved the tupperware from the top flap of her bag. As she munched on the sandwich, she considered the enigma that was Kratos.

What would he decide? Would he stay? Or would he return to Derris-Kharlan? Part of Raine was glad to have left Iselia; she wouldn't have to endure the immediate disappointment if he decided to not stay (which was the most likely scenario). By departing early, Genis would text her Kratos' decision. This way, she would not burden her brother with any resulting feelings. It was enough that teenager knew something — at least on her end — was happening. He was soon to be bogged down in studying for finals and the last thing she wanted to do was add unnecessary stress to him.

As she finished the last of her sandwich, Raine considered her return to the University. Kratos had first posed the possibility of conducting research in lieu of administrative duties and watching over Genis.

Was that something she did want?

Undoubtedly. The young woman missed researching. It wouldn't have been a topic of discussion in the first place if she had not shared a desire to resume these activities.

No, that wasn't exactly correct. She wanted to travel and research. Being shut up all day in a library was not her ideal situation, not that parsing through and studying old literature was terrible. But Raine wanted to be in the middle of a ruin, doing field work, discovering artifacts, then later doing testing and classification in the lab. She didn't want to simply be the recipient of these items; she wanted to examine them through the whole archiving process.

She also wanted...

Rolling her eyes at her own hesitancy, the half elf knew she wanted to get to know Kratos in a romantic sense. There was no sense in dancing around the subject in her own mind. It was the truth, even if nothing would come of it.

Exhaling and tucking the tupperware away, Raine wondered if she would ever see the angel again. Possibly. Maybe he would try to visit Lloyd in the future. But she might not be in town for the occasion. It was impractical to hope for any eventual meeting.

It was over.

That was the truth. Whatever moment they had had (if there was one, she reminded herself), it was in the past.

Pursing her lips, Raine turned off autopilot and sped forward towards the oceanside city, dismissing these thoughts and focusing on her classes.

* * *

After taking a walk through the Ranch, reminiscing about both the good and bad, Kratos directed himself towards Dirk's house, his mind swirling with memories of Anna, Yuan's words, Lloyd's request, and...Raine. A chill ran down his spine as he focused on the argument with his friend about letting go of the past. It was logical. Not well organized, but logical. And the angel's last comment about wishing for a child had been unpredictable.

Yuan hard argued that Kratos' actions violated everything that Anna had stood for. That greatly disturbed the human. Shame burned through the man. Avoiding a relationship with Lloyd was an affront to Anna and her choices in life. His guilt for being responsible for her death had blinded him. He had only thought of his own pain and fear. He knew that now.

That didn't make Kratos feel better.

As he reached the tall log cabin buried deep in the woods, Lloyd came into view in the window. The young man spotted his father emerging from the forest and a grin broke out over his face.

 _What do you want?_

Raine's question rang in his ears.

He wanted to stay.

Numbness saturated his body as the Seraphim walked towards the house. Lloyd burst through the front door, meeting Kratos halfway.

"Hey! Thanks for coming over!"

"Of course."

"I thought you might have already left."

"No." He paused. "Not without saying good-bye."

Lloyd nodded; Kratos could see the spark of appreciation in his son's eyes.

"When do you leave?"

"Soon. Genis said he was gonna come say bye, so we'll probably leave after that."

Kratos stiffened. That meant Raine would appear as well.

"So, when are you going back...?" Lloyd asked.

The angel could see that his son was attempting to keep himself neutral, but the angel heard the disappointment in the undertone of his voice.

"Soon."

"Ah, okay."

They stood there in an awkward silence for a few moments, trying to find the words to say. As Kratos observed his son, he studied Lloyd's features, reminded of the similarities of Anna's.

"Lloyd."

"Yeah?"

"Your mother would be proud of you."

"You really think so?" Lloyd asked shyly, tucking his hands in his pockets.

The young man looked up at his father with hopeful eyes. Kratos felt his throat close with emotion. The angel nodded, unable to respond.

"Lloyd!"

Genis ran up the small hill towards his best friend, bushy hair bouncing with each step. Kratos scanned the tree line behind the teenager, expecting to see his older sister materialize from the brush as well. But no figure followed. The seconds passed and still no Raine. It was odd that she had not accompanied her brother to give her farewells.

"Thanks for coming!" Lloyd said as Genis reached the two humans.

"Duh. I'm not gonna see you guys for a month!"

"Where's the Professor?"

"Oh yeah. Raine says have a good trip. She had to leave early 'cause of some University emergency."

The conversation continued but Kratos didn't hear it. Raine had already left. He would not have the chance to speak with her again, much less say good-bye.

A pang of regret vibrated through him.

"Gotcha. I hope everything's okay with the Professor." Lloyd wrinkled his forehead, worried.

"Yeah, she's fine. Where's Colette?"

"Inside getting ready."

"Cool. You excited?"

"Totally!"

"How long are you gone again?"

"The month. Zelos had a cabin so we're just gonna stay there."

"Make sure he doesn't come crash. That would suck." Genis scrunched his face in disgust.

"Yeahhhh, that definitely would."

Genis turned towards Kratos. "So when are you leaving?"

The angel eyed the teenager: there was a pointedness behind his eyes. Did he know?

But before Kratos could respond, another joined them.

"Colette!" Genis redirected his attention.

The blonde emerged from the house, holding two bags at her sides, a bright smile on her face.

"Hi, Genis! Hi, Kratos!"

"Let me get those for you."

Lloyd rushed over to her and took them, beaming at her. She returned it with a 'thank you', which made her husband's grin expand to the edges of his face. With an extra skip in his step, Lloyd went to the reihards to strap the luggage on the back of each aircraft.

"Good morning." Kratos greeted, as his daughter-in-law walked over.

"This is so exciting! I can't wait to get to Flanoir!" She clapped her hands together.

"I just don't get why you guys want to go to somewhere cold." The half elf shook his head, repulsed.

"Hot chocolate. Snowmen. Snow angels. It'll be fun and cozy." Colette rocked back and forth on her heels, already imagining the fun she would have.

Genis shrugged. "If you say so."

"Alright. I think that's it." Lloyd ambled over, stretching his arms into the sky. Turning, he called towards the house, "Dad, I think we're gonna leave now."

After a second, the dwarf lumbered out, joining the small group. "Be careful out there." Dirk said as he hugged his son. Turning to Colette, he winked, "Watch out for him. He doesn't always have the best judgement."

She giggled.

"Have a good trip, guys. Text me fun stuff. I'll just be studying for finals." Genis said glumly.

"I'm sure you'll do great." Colette said, giving the half elf a hug.

"Hope so."

"You're super smart, Genis. You'll kick ass." Lloyd hugged his best friend.

Turning to Kratos, Lloyd hesitated then stuck out his hand.

"Thanks again for coming. I'll...see you around."

Kratos took it and shook, holding it tighter than necessary.

"Have a good trip."

As they released hands, Colette smiled and the angel nodded, unsure of how to wish her farewell. It seemed to be enough as the two turned and walked to their reihards. Lloyd helped Colette get situated, then he got on to his own flyer. As they ascended, hovering about ten feet above the ground, the newlyweds waved at the trio. Then they zipped away, becoming tiny dots in the sky, finally altogether disappearing.

"Genis, wanna come in fer coffee?" Dirk asked after a minute of silence.

"Yeah, please."

"Kratos?"

The angel shook his head. He wanted to be alone.

"When ye leavin'?"

"Soon."

"Alright. Bye then. Thanks fer comin' and helpin' out."

Dirk stuck out his hand as well. Kratos held it and shook. After a moment, the two fathers dropped hands and the dwarf headed inside.

"I'll be right there, Dirk." Genis called after him. The half elf turned back to the angel, putting his fists on his hips.

"So...are you leaving?"

The angel didn't respond.

The half elf rolled his eyes. "Between the two of you, I don't know who's more stubborn."

Kratos raised an eyebrow, still silent.

"You like her. She likes you. I don't get why this is so hard."

The angel's heart skidded.

Was this true? Or simply the imagination of the adolescent?

"What makes you think that?"

"Um, you guys have been hanging out _a lot_ in the past few days." Genis said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you recall, we spent time together on the Journey."

"Sure, but that was at the beginning with all of us. Not just the two of you. And you guys didn't talk much after everything happened."

"It wasn't the time or place." Kratos shrugged, keeping his voice nonchalant though his mind raced.

"If that's your excuse."

"It's a fact."

"You also danced at the wedding. Pretty sure you only danced with Colette after that. Raine didn't dance with anyone else."

"Your sister has said dancing is not her strong suit." Kratos tucked his hands in his pockets, keeping his face blank. He hadn't been interested in dancing after their waltz, other than engaging in the customary dance with his new daughter-in-law, which Colette made satisfactory due to her warm personality.

"It doesn't matter. Have you decided if you're leaving?" Genis pressed.

Once more, the angel did not respond.

"Well, if you decide to go after my sister, you better watch it. Just cause you're way older than me doesn't mean I won't kick your ass if you hurt her."

"Duly noted."

"See ya."

The half elf walked inside the house, and Kratos could hear the sounds of conversation populate the air. Something about cooking.

Whipping around, the Seraphim opened his wings and launched into the sky, ascending at a fast pace. Circling Iselia, he stopped and floated above the town. Saying good-bye to Lloyd had been painful. More than he thought it would be. And now he wanted to stay and spend more time with him.

And with Raine.

But did the man deserve it?

His eyes drifted skyward. Once more he thought about two nights ago, when he took her towards the stars. The directness of her eyes and the command in her voice came to him. He wanted to see those eyes and feel her body in his arms again.

Anna's smile replaced Raine's image in his mind.

How could he do such a thing though?

If their positions were switched, Kratos would not want Anna to be alone in this life. But was that simply an excuse for him?

He recalled Lloyd's words, rather his approval to pursue a romantic connection. Was that enough?

Spiraling through the air, Kratos sunk into his internal conflict, unsure of what decision to make.

* * *

It was raining by the time she arrived at Palmacosta. Drenched, Raine parked her reihard in the lot behind the University building and ran for the entry, clutching her duffle bag to her. As the big, mahogany door slammed behind her, she breathed heavily, ignoring the burn in her lungs. From head to toe, she felt the rain touch her skin. She wasn't completely drenched, but it was enough to cause shivering. She would immediately turn on her small space heater at her desk upon sitting.

Leaning against the door, Raine took in the view of the ground floor of the University. Though she had only been away for a week, it felt much longer. A smile crossed her face; it was comforting to be back. The tall, vaulting walls lined with bookcases, staircases curling upwards higher and higher to each floor, the smell of books and ink filled the air, the low voices in deep conversation about the latest lecture: it felt like home. She had to admit, she loved it. She loved her job.

However, she wanted more than teaching. The woman was determined to fix that.

But that could wait. For now, she had a specific objective.

Hastily, Raine darted up the stairs, taking a right at the first landing and walking down the hall to the last door. Opening it, she stepped into her office, seeing an older woman seated at a desk on the far end of the room, nose buried in a large tome.

"Hello, Frances."

The older woman's head shot up, her hazel eyes widening from behind the broad-rimmed spectacles she wore. Though in her late fifties, age had treated her kindly. Her gray hair was both wavy and shiny, similar to Colette's blond hair. The wrinkles on her face were configured in such a way that they accentuated the long lines already existent, giving her a regality that Raine only hoped to have when she aged. If the half elf were to guess, Frances had some shred of elven blood within her, but the half elf knew better than to pry.

"Raine, I hope you had a lovely holiday."

Holiday? Hardly.

Not that it wasn't enjoyable. Though it had had its ups and downs.

"I did, thank you." Raine put her bag down by her desk, opposite of Frances. She took her seat and shrugged out of her damp sweatshirt, laying on the back of her chair. Another chill ran through her; she hoped she wouldn't catch a cold as she switched on the heater underneath her desk.

"So Jing is out for next week at least." Raine said, spinning her chair around to face the older woman.

Frances folded her hands in her lap. "On Monday and Tuesday, I can take her morning classes, if you'll take the afternoon ones."

"Wednesday, you're leaving, correct?"

Frances nodded.

Raine pulled a large, blue binder off her desk and flipped it open to the schedule on the second page. Glancing over it, she said, "That's not terrible. Jing doesn't teach on Thursdays and I don't on Fridays, so I can carry yours for the rest of the week."

"I'm preparing all of the materials for you now. You'll have them Monday."

"Perfect. Thank you."

The half elf closed the binder and replaced it on her desk.

"I'm sorry, Raine. This couldn't come at a worse time." Frances scrunched her brow in apology.

"Don't worry, Frances. I'll be fine."

"If I could, I would reschedule my trip. But they're expecting me out at the dig site in Santarino."

The young woman smiled and said something supportive, though inwardly she felt the bite of envy. Raine wanted to go to Santarino and dig for prehistoric artifacts.

Frances had demanded a research grant upon her appointment at Palmacosta University, especially as she had come from the Tethe'allan Historical Society. The organization was highly regarded and Frances had quite a reputation. Thus, the University's board was eager to entice her to be one of the first faculty members in any way possible. If only Raine had carried a similar significance.

Regardless, Kratos was right. At the very least, the half elf needed to demand an administrative assistant so she could put forth her own research proposal. Considering the current situation with two Professors out, it would be an easy argument to make.

Hours passed as the pair worked in silence. Eventually, the half elf looked up at the clock: 19:15. Peering out the window, she saw that the rain continued to pour and she scrunched her nose in displeasure. Wariness weighed heavily on her and the urge to eat and climb into bed had grown exponentially in the last hour. The prospect of braving the rain to head home was unappetizing, but it was the only way to procure warmth, food, and possibly a bubble bath.

Standing, Raine shuffled her papers together and crammed them into her briefcase, knotting her hair up into a bun.

"I'll see you on Monday."

"Goodnight, Raine."

Nodding to her colleague, Raine departed, making her way back down the stairs and towards the front of the university, passing a few of her students and offering a quick greeting. Donning her sweatshirt once more, the half elf pushed the door open and dashed through the rain. It had let up a tiny bit since she had arrived, but enough to still inundate her clothes. Rushing through the city, the young woman darted towards her apartment building. Luckily, she didn't live too far from the university, and was home within seven minutes.

Unlocking the door to the building, she whisked herself inside, clutching her duffle bag and briefcase tightly against her. Her breath came ragged and she felt droplets of water fall from her head to her shoulders. A shiver ran up her spine. A warm bath was exactly what she needed. Taking a few deep breaths, the woman slowed the beat of her heart. At least she was finally home. It had been a long day. She deserved some wine.

Trudging up the stairs, Raine wondered if Kratos was already gone, back on the planet that floated millions of miles above Aselia. Her lips turned downward and she sighed. A tiny part of her truly believed there was a possibility he would have chosen to stay. Mainly for Lloyd's sake, but slightly for hers as well.

That was too optimistic, she knew.

Dragging herself up each step, Raine peeked at her holocom. She'd texted Genis right before getting to work, but had put her device away as to not be distracted. There was a message as she turned it on. She paused mid-step, fingers hovering over the keypad. After a second, heart hammering, she opened it:

 _Glad to hear it! Hope it wasn't too bad a trip._

That was it.

Frustrated, Raine shoved her holocom back in her pocket. No mention of the angel. How could her brother not include anything about Kratos?

Irked, she made it to the third floor and fished her keys out of her briefcase. A warm bath and glass of wine would help her forget his inevitable departure. Hopefully those fierce, chocolate brown eyes too.

As Raine rounded the corner, she stopped dead.

Her pulse quickened.

Kratos was standing in front of her door.

* * *

His eyes met hers; Kratos could see shock register in those blue orbs. Adrenaline flooded his veins and he tensed. Was it good? Bad? The angel couldn't tell.

He shouldn't have come.

Seconds passed and neither spoke, their breathing the only sound traveling over the airwaves.

"Hello." Raine said. The words passed her lips breathily. Goosebumps materialized on the back of his neck. "Do you want to come in?"

He nodded. Wordlessly, the angel stepped towards her and took her duffle bag, his hand brushing hers. The half elf murmured her thanks and moved to unlock her door. Stepping over the threshold, she held the door open for him, her face now neutral. They were both masters in the art of dissembling; how would Kratos know if his presence was welcome or not?

Closing the door, Raine lead him to the living room and set her briefcase down next to the coffee table.

"I can take that." She grasped the duffle from him and walked down the hallway to his right, disappearing into what he presumed was her bedroom.

A moment later, the half elf reappeared, her arms hanging loosely at her sides. Her hair was up in a messy bun; there was a slight flush to her cheeks.

Clearing his throat, Kratos said, "I brought you this."

He took a small, white box out of his jack and offered — more like shoved — it to her. Luckily, it had remained dry during his journey.

"Thank you. Should I open it?"

"If you wish."

Splitting the tape, she pulled the lid off of the box. Her eyes widened and she gasped.

"Lindenberries! I didn't get a chance to have any when I was in town." She looked at him, an unreadable expression passing over her face. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Raine opened her mouth slightly, as if she to stay something, but decided against it. Instead, the woman put the box on the coffee table. When she turned towards him again, her eyes flicked up and down, examining him.

"You're drenched."

In his haste, Kratos had not considered the possibility of facing a different weather pattern. The rain had soaked his clothes and flattened his hair.

"I apologize. I didn't know it would be raining."

"Neither did I. If you remove your coat, I'll hang it up to dry."

Silently, he shrugged out of the jacket and handed it to her. Looking up, he found Raine watching him. He realized the simple white shirt he wore stuck to his chest and the outlines of his muscles, as if he were wearing one of Zelos' shirts. Under her gaze, he felt self-conscious.

Though a small part of him enjoyed her stare.

Averting her eyes, the half elf pulled her sweatshirt off. She wore a long-sleeved shirt underneath, which stuck to her figure due to the rain, not in an indecent manner, but enough to cause the angel's insides to tighten.

Once more, the woman crossed to him, this time taking his coat. "I'm going to change shirts. I can bring you something as well if you want."

"That would be appreciated."

She nodded and disappeared again.

Kratos swept his eyes around the apartment. It was a jumble of grays, light greens and lavenders with a modern theme: cozy yet sophisticated. He imagined her curled up on the smokey gray couch with a book and a cup of tea.

He slammed the thought away. _Too much_. He needed to focus on the now. Genis had said that Raine had some inclination towards him, but the angel needed evidence to confirm for himself.

The woman remerged, this time in a red turtleneck that still displayed her figure (to his pleasure and annoyance). She held out a large shirt. "I'm sorry, this is all I have. I think it will fit you. The bathroom is first door on the right."

Nodding, he took the piece of clothing and exited. Minutes later, he returned, draped in the long white shirt (he'd hung his drenched shirt up on the empty towel rack in the bathroom). She was at the counter, lifting a kettle off the stove. Hearing his footsteps, she looked up at him, her blue eyes shooting straight through him. A tremble ran through his heart, but he maintained his blank composure.

"Tea?"

"Please."

Raine poured two mugs and dropped a tea bag in each. Handing him one, she said, "I'll turn the heat up a little so we don't freeze. Unlike Colette and Lloyd, I do not enjoy the cold."

"You're not alone."

"Really? I remember Derris-Kharlan being fairly cold." The woman said as she adjusted her thermostat, her back to him.

His lips creased into a line.

"It is less than enjoyable."

"That's unfortunate. Hopefully nothing else is 'less than enjoyable'."

It was a probing statement, he was sure of it.

"It's monotonous."

"What do you mean by that?" She faced him, the question in her eyes genuine. "I thought the remainder of Cruxis was there?"

"Speaking with them is tedious."

She stared at him and after a second, laughed.

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't laugh." She said in between snickers, taking a seat on the sofa and gesturing for him to sit across from her.

"It is only the truth." He replied, though a small, facetious smile crept onto his lips, and he sipped tea.

Setting her mug down on the wooden tabletop, the half elf opened the box he had brought her. Inside were eight perfectly spherical, purple orbs. "Have you ever had one of these?"

"No."

"Try one."

She took one from the box and took a bite, closing her eyes and relishing it.

A fire flickered to life inside him.

The woman opened her eyes to see him staring at her. Flustered, she popped the rest of it into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

Embarrassed, he took one from the box and and ate it, keeping his eyes downward so she could not see the heat on his own cheeks. The lindenberry coated his mouth with a combination of cherry and blackberry flavors, a spark of sour apple, then a slight smokey taste as the rest of the candy melted on his tongue.

"Did you like it?"

The angel met her curious gaze.

"Yes."

"It's a guilty pleasure of mine." She admitted as she closed the box. "Thank you again. I will enjoy them next week. I'm going to need them."

"Why?"

Picking up her tea once more, Raine leaned back into the couch and took a sip. "There are only three Professors in the archaeology department, myself included. One has fallen ill and I have to cover her classes. The other is leaving for a research trip on Wednesday. So I'll have to cover hers as well."

"That's unfortunate. There is no one to help you?" Kratos narrowed his eyes.

"Unfortunately, no. I'm not looking forward to it, though I will enjoy teaching the History of Art in the Bartellian Era."

"What else will you teach?"

"Prehistoric History of Asgard. The First Settlement of Elves. Burial Practices of Santarino."

"Ah."

They fell into silence as the conversation died. Kratos could think of no other response; his brain itched to broach the topic of conversation he had come to discuss. The angel knew he needed to say something, otherwise he would lose his chance. But his tongue lay still in his mouth and the words clung to the walls of his throat, unwilling to escape the safety of his body and expose themselves to Raine.

The woman looked down into her tea, then at him. She swallowed.

He froze.

"What are you doing here?"

"I...needed to see you."

"Why?"

He breathed.

"I wanted to."

Raine blinked, her lips parted in astonishment, but said nothing.

A second passed. And then another. And then another.

Still, she said nothing.

He had his answer.

She didn't feel the same way.

Clearing his throat, the man rose from his seat.

"I'll leave."

"No. Don't." Raine rushed. "I...want you to stay."

Their eyes met and she slowly rose from her seat.

Kratos was beside her in seconds, holding her face in his hands and laying a single kiss upon her lips. Neither moved, lips locked in the tentative, gentle embrace. After a minute, he broke the connection and stepped backward. His heart raced, threatening to burst out of his chest as he watched her expression morph into one of wonder.

Cautiously, Raine took a step forward, closing the distance between them, her eyes never leaving his. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she brought her lips to his for a kiss this time. The angel closed his eyes, encircling her back with his arms and slowly moved her towards him. Nothing mattered, just the feel of her mouth on his.

After a minute, they each pulled away, just far enough so the tips of their noses touched. He felt the rise and fall of her chest against his as his and his breathing matched hers.

"Raine..." His fingers caressed her cheek.

"Yes?"

"I...am not well versed in these situations."

"Neither am I."

"Do you mind?"

"No." She shook her head and teased, "It'll be the blind leading the blind."

Kratos smirked and kissed her again, harder than before. Raine welcomed it, capturing his mouth with her own as she moved her hands over his chest. Her touch sent a wildfire through him and he dug his fingers into her back, eliminating any space between their bodies. A small moan escaped her mouth and she gripped his shirt, diving into another kiss. As the heat thickened between the two, the kisses grew longer, each dripping with sensuality and an ever increasing need.

Eventually, they separated, foreheads touching, each breathing heavily.

"I ask that we move slowly." He murmured, though the tremors vibrating throughout his body said otherwise.

"So would I." Raine replied, catching her breath. "Where are you staying tonight?"

"I don't know. I didn't consider it."

"You could stay here."

Kratos blinked, wondering if he'd heard correctly.

"On the couch." She clarified, her cheeks turning pink.

Simultaneously relieved and disappointed — that was contradictory to his comment about moving slowly, he knew — he questioned, "Are you sure?"

"The couch is very comfortable. Colette has stayed with me many times." Removing herself from his grasp and resuming her seat, the half elf pressed into the cushion, showing him its plushness. "If you're more comfortable staying at the inn, I understand."

"I don't want to impose." He sat next to her.

"I asked you."

"You are certain?"

"I am."

"Alright."

"Good. Then it's settled."

Kratos took her hand in his, reestablishing the physical connection. He began to brush his thumb over her knuckles and the woman shivered.

"What will we tell Lloyd and Genis?" She inquired.

"The truth."

"Which is?"

"We're exploring a possible association."

"A possible relationship. Association sounds more professional than personal." Raine said then retracted with widened eyes, "Though association is fine if that is a more comfortable classification."

"Relationship is the more accurate term."

A smile of relief appeared on her face. His heart leapt. Still holding onto her hand, the man brushed his lips against hers. He felt her smile in the kiss and the corners of his mouth turned upward. It was foreign to him, the immensity of the exhilaration he felt. All he knew was that he didn't want it to end.

Pulling back to look at the half elf, the angel hoped it wasn't a dream.

"This is happening."

"I think so."

"You 'think'?" He stiffened.

Raine squeezed his hand reassuringly and scooted closer to him, their knees touching. "It's a risk. But I'm willing to take it. Are you?"

"Yes."

Glowing, she beamed at him.

"Then kiss me again."

And he happily obliged.

 _~The End~_

* * *

Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this "short" story :) Thanks for reading and reviewing; they make me happy ^_^ Leave some love here at the end, tell me about your favorite part, and all that good stuff.

I'll start updating _'Darkness Falls'_ in a bit, so keep an eye out or put me on author alert. Some more romantic goodness to come for all my fav ToS couples, and that includes Kraine :D

Once again, thanks for tuning in everyone! Until next time!

~The Rose Duelist


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